The state governments have so far lifted more than 69 lakh tonnes of foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) under which 80 crore people in the country would be given free ration for three months, in addition to their monthly PDS entitlement, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The statement was issued after a detailed review meeting of the scheme by the Food and Public Distribution Secretary, Sudanshu Pandey, with State food secretaries and other officials from 24 States and Union Territories through video conferencing.

During the remote meeting, the officials discussed the lifting and distribution of foodgrains to beneficiaries under the scheme, as well as under the normal NFSA/ TPDS and also the implementation of the One Nation One Ration Card plan.

The Centre is shouldering the entire cost – nearly Rs 46,000 crore – of implementing PMGKAY, which includes the cost of foodgrains, cost of their procurement, storage and transportation, as well as distribution up to the point of delivery to the intended beneficiaries at the fair price shops.

The total cost of operations, starting with the cost of the grain paid to the farmer, up to the payment of commission to FPS shop-owners, would be about Rs 39 per kg for rice and about Rs 28 per kg for wheat. The total quantity of foodgrains involved is around 120 lakh tonnes.

According to the statement, while five states and UTs lifted the entire three months' quota, 18 others did it for two months and 14 States and UTs picked them up for one month each.

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