PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

Why in news?

• Acknowledging that poor families still need food security support in the middle of a recovering economy, the Centre has decided to extend its free ration scheme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), for another four months, until March 2022.

About PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana:

• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) is a scheme as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat to supply free food grains to migrants and poor.
• The program is operated by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
• The scheme was initially launched for three months from April 2020 to provide relief to poor people during the Coronavirus pandemic. The scheme, however, has been extended several times since then.

Benefits:

• More than 81 crore people will be provided 5 kg free wheat/rice per person per month along with 1 kg free whole chana to each family per month.
• Wheat has been allocated to 6 States/UTs - Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi and Gujarat and rice has been provided to the remaining States/UTs.
• This is over and above the regular monthly entitlements under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).

Expenditure:

• It is a central sector scheme and all the expenditure is borne by Government of India.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements about PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana:

1. Under the scheme people are provided with 5 kg foodgrain over and above the normal quota under the National Food Security Act

2. The program is operated by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer