Free Ration Scheme: The Union Cabinet in a major decision on Friday decided to distribute free ration under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for a period of one year till December 2023.
New Delhi: In a major decision, the Union Cabinet on Friday decided to extend the distribution of free ration under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for a period of one year till December 2023.
Right now ration was being given at concessional rates
Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal told media persons that the move would result in a burden of Rs 2 lakh crore which would be fully borne by the government. This move will benefit more than 81.35 crore NFSA beneficiaries. Earlier, rice and wheat were provided at subsidized rates to the beneficiaries under NFSA.
Goyal informed that food grains, which were being provided under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) since April 2020, will also be included under the NFSA quota.
This much wheat and rice will be available under the free ration scheme
Thus PMGKAY will not be extended beyond December 2022. Before Friday’s decision, under NFSA, 5 kg of food grains per person per month was being provided at the rate of Rs 2-3 per kg. Under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), families get 35 kg of food grains per month.
The poor are given Rs.3 per kg of rice under NFSA and Rs.2 per kg of wheat under NFSA. Now all this will be given free of cost to the beneficiaries.
