At the time of the first layer of Covid-19 last year in March 2020, this Yojana was started and introduced by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prime Minister addresses the nation for the first time and announced this scheme due to Covid-19 in March. This scheme was started to supply free food grains (wheat/ rice) to the families of India and to those who needy holding ration cards. It was a part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (प्रधानमंत्री गरीब कल्याण योजना).
Under this PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (प्रधानमंत्री गरीब कल्याण अन्न योजना), more than 80 crore population of India holding Ration card were likely to get free 5kg wheat/ Rice (anaj) per person having names in the ration card, and 1kg free lentils (दाल) per family in the month of April, May, and June 2020. Last year on 30th June 2020 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package was continued till November 2020. And when the lockdown had to be enforced due to Corona, the government had organized free ration for more than 80 crore population for 8 months under this scheme.
Last evening Monday 07 June, Prime Minister again addressed the nation and detailed declared about Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana 2.0 (प्रधानमंत्री गरीब कल्याण अन्न योजना 2.0) where he declared about the extension of this scheme till Diwali. In view of the second wave of coronavirus, the central government once again announced this scheme for poor families in April 2021. In the month of May and June, the central government provided per person 5kg additional food grains (rice/wheat) free of cost to the ration cardholders. Now the government has decided to extend this scheme till Diwali due to the second wave of corona and lockdown.
PM said during his address to the nation yesterday,
“In this time of Pandemic, the government is standing by the poor with every need, as their partner. The purpose of this effort is that none of my poor brothers and sisters, their families, should go to bed hungry”.
Under this scheme, more than 80 crore ration cardholders will benefit from this scheme. Ration card holders can now get free 5kg food grains in addition to the quota available on the ration card till Diwali. A fixed quantity of food grains free of cost will be allocated to those in need till November 2021.
