The Centre has distributed about 20 lakh tonnes (lt) of foodgrains, since December 2021 to the beneficiaries under the fifth phase (December 2021-March 2022) of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

For the fifth phase, the Food Ministry had allocated a total 163 lt of rice and wheat to all States and Union Territories for distribution under the scheme.

“With distribution starting recently for the second month, reports available from the States/UTs, show about 19.76 lt of foodgrains have been distributed so far,” the ministry said in an official statement on Wednesday. It is expected that the performance in the current phase will also be on the same high level as in the earlier phases, the ministry said adding it is continuously monitoring the lifting and distribution of foodgrains on a day-to-day basis.

Ensuring food security

After the lockdown was announced in March 2020, the Centre had started the PMGKAY scheme to provide additional quantities of foodgrains to over 80 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) as they are entitled under the law. These beneficiaries are offered 5 kg of wheat or rice per person per month to ensure food security during the Covid pandemic.

While the scheme was for April-November in 2020, the government allowed the benefits to run for 11 months starting from May during the current fiscal. Under the phases 1 to 5 , about 759 lt of foodgrains valued at ₹2.6-lakh crore have been allocated, the statement said. Out of this, about 580 lt have been distributed..

Top performers

Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have been rated as best performing States in phase 1-2 of the scheme while Chhattisgarh, Tripura, Mizoram, Delhi and West Bengal in phase 3-4.

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