PMGKAY extended till September 2022

Tags: National News

The Government of India has extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) scheme for another six months, till September 2022 (Phase VI). The phase V of the scheme was to end on 31 March 2022.This will cover nearly 80 crore beneficiaries across India.

PMGKY is the world's largest food security programme which was launched  in April 2020 to provide relief to the poor  and  migrant population suffering due to the corona -19 induced lockdown and the consequent hardship faced by them.

Features of the PMGKAY 

• PMGKAY is a part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) to help the poor fight the battle against Covid-19.

• Its nodal Ministry is the Ministry of Finance.

• Under this scheme, the government  Provides  additional free of cost  5 kg per person per month food-grains (rice/wheat) to around 80 crore beneficiaries of National Food Security Act (NFSA) including the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) beneficiaries.  

• The scheme is fully funded by the government of India 

• The Government has spent approximately Rs. 2.60 Lakh Crore so far and another Rs. 80,000 Crore will be spent over the next 6 months till September 2022 taking the total expenditure under PM-GKAY to nearly Rs. 3.40 Lakh Crore

• The Government of India  had allocated about 759 Lakh Million Tonnes (LMT) of free foodgrains under the PM-GKAY till Phase V. With another 244 LMT of free foodgrains under this extension (Phase VI), the aggregate allocation of free foodgrains under the PM-GKAY now stands at 1,003 LMT of foodgrains.

• The PMGKAY has now been linked withOne Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan  where migrant workers can get the benefit of the scheme through any ration shops in India.

Phases of the  PMGKAY Scheme 

Phase I  from April to June 2020

Phase II  from July to November 2020

Phase III from December 2020 to May 2021 to June 2021

Phase IV from July 2021 to November 2021

Phase V from December 2021 to March 2021 

Phase VI from April 2022 to September 2022 

Important Government Scheme

National Food Security act (NFSA)

The Public distribution system in India is covered under the National Food security act 2013. It covers 75% of the rural population and 50% Urban areas. 

• Food Grains are provided to beneficiaries in two categories,Antodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) and Priority Household  (PHH).

• The Antodaya Anna Yojana beneficiaries get 35 kg of foodgrains per month and the Priority Household gets 5kg per person per month .

• The beneficiary gets rice/wheat or coarse cereals at a highly subsidised price . 

For One Nation One Ration Card scheme  kindly see 2 February 2022 post