Food grain. 94 lakh tonnes PMGKAY grains lifted by States

Our Bureau Updated - July 14, 2021 at 11:15 AM.

Food Corporation of India loaded 4,005 rakes carrying food grains since April 1 this year

KERALA, PALAKKAD, 31/05/2021. Books and food grain kit for school students is ready for distribution as part of the Praveshanolsavam at BEMS school Palakkad on Monday. The kits contain 25 kilogram rice, chickpea, kidney beans, sugar, chilli powder, Bengal gram and black gram. The government and aided schools in Kerala would formally reopen on June 1, marking the start of the 2021-2022 academic year. Kerala’s school and college students will enter the online classrooms as the new academic year begins on June 1. This is the second consecutive year of digital and online education following the COVID-19 crisis. Photo: MUSTAFAH KK

States and Union Territories have lifted close to 94 lakh tonnes (LT) of food grains for distribution under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) in the current year so far, an official statement said on Tuesday.

Food Corporation of India (FCI) loaded 4,005 rakes carrying food grains since April 1 this year, it said.

The government initially announced the extension of PMGKAY — first launched last year to provide free food grains to over 80 crore poor Indians to tide over the impact of Covid-19 pandemic — for two months this year but later extended it for five more months till November this year.

According to the statement, 36 States and Union Territories (UTs) lifted 78.26 LT of free food grains meant to be distributed during May and June months, while another 15.3 LT of food grains were collected by the States out of 198.79 LT to be supplied during the July to November months.

FCI, which at present has a stock of 881 LT food grains (583 LT of wheat and 298 LT of rice), said it has already positioned adequate stocks in all States/ UTs for successful implementation of the PMGKAY scheme.

Published on July 13, 2021 14:32