Topic: PMGKAY

The Union department of food and public distribution has asked states to weed out ineligible beneficiaries of PMGKAY by the end of next month. But going by the obvious political risks, the exercise is unlikely to be completed soon.

A government release notes successful implementation of fortified rice supply, and progress in digitising ration cards and automating Fair Price Shops.

Foodgrain under the National Food Security Act is currently sold at a highly subsidised price. All of this will be free from 1 January onwards.

Pre-2013 issue prices of rice and wheat to zero now is truly remarkable. But what does it say about the govt's assessment of deprivation?

During natural calamities like droughts, floods or pandemics, cash transfers may not be of much help. It is a good policy to distribute food grains rather than cash.

PMGKAY was extended for three more months last week. An analysis of the scheme's beneficiaries shows that over 50% of the population in Gujarat and 38% in HP will benefit from it.

Paper suggests extreme poverty in India was as low as 0.8 per cent of population in 2019 & food transfers were instrumental in ensuring that it remained at that low level in pandemic year of 2020.

The PMGKAY scheme was initially launched for three months from April 2020 to provide relief to poor people amid the Covid pandemic. It has been extended several times since then.

Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said the scheme will continue till November and is a massive intervention by the Modi government to support the people during the pandemic.

PMGKAY was reintroduced for two months until June in order to minimise the economic hardships being faced by the poor PDS beneficiaries during the second wave of the Covid pandemic.