Extension of PMGKAY Scheme

September 28, 2022

PM-GKAY scheme has been extended for 3 more months until the end of December 2022. This scheme was scheduled to end on September 30.

Overview:

  • The decision to extend this scheme comes ahead of the festive season.
  • The government will distribute 122 lakh metric tonnes of food grains under the seventh phase this scheme from October to December 2022.
  • Rs.44,762 crore will be spent as subsidy for this phase.
  • The allocation of grains for the seventh phase is around 1,121 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT).
  • The government has spent around Rs 3.45 Lakh crore in the sixth phase of the PM-GKAY.
  • The total expenditure of this scheme is expected to reach Rs 3.91 lakh crore.
  • It has been implemented over 25 months since 2020.

About PMGKAY

In March 2020, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the central government had announced the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) welfare scheme. Initially, the scheme was planned for a period of 3 months but since then, it has been extended several times. This scheme looked to provide every individual covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) with an additional 5 kg of grains (rice or wheat) free of cost, along with the 5 kg of subsidized food grain that is already being provided through the country’s Public Distribution System (PDS). It covers people belonging to Below Poverty Line – Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) categories. It also covers other vulnerable people like widows, terminally ill, elderly, landless agricultural labourers, primitive tribe households, informal sector workers etc. More than 81.35 crore people are benefiting from this scheme. Wheat has been allocated for 6 states and union territories and rice has been provided for the rest. This supplements the monthly entitlements under the NFSA.

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