Delhi Govt Extend free ration supply for another six months: CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Govt Extend free ration supply for another six months: CM Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to the PM requesting that provision of free foodgrains through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana also be extended for six months.

Announcing that the Delhi government will be extending free ration to ration card holders for another six months, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the Prime Minister requesting that the provision of free foodgrains through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) also be extended for another six months.

 

“There is crippling inflation in the country currently. An ordinary person is finding it difficult to arrange two meals a day. Many lost their employment during the pandemic. They have no means of earning,” wrote Kejriwal in his letter Saturday.

“Because of this, I appeal to the central government to extend its scheme of providing additional free rations for the next six months. Delhi government is extending the programme of providing monthly rations for free for another six months,” the letter said.

This comes a day after Union Food Secretary Sudhansu Pandey stated that there is no proposal to extend the provision of free foodgrain via PMGKAY to ration card holders, saying that the “economy is reviving and our OMSS disposal of foodgrains has also been exceptionally good this year.”

The additional free benefit of 5 kg foodgrain under the PMGKAY scheme was provided initially for three months from April to June last year to ease the distress caused by the pandemic. This was later extended for another five months till November, and was rolled out again after the onset of the second wave. The benefit is due to end this month.