The Union Cabinet has announced an extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) by three months from its stipulated deadline of September 30. The extension will be from October to December. The decision was taken during the cabinet meeting today.
Phase VII entails an estimated subsidy of Rs 44,762 crore. The total outgo of food grains is estimated to be 122 MT, the government said. Around 80 crore people are expected to benefit from this, the government said.
The PMGKAY scheme will cost the government an additional Rs 80,000 crore till the end of the month, putting the government’s estimated expenditure at Rs 2.5 lakh crore for this financial year, a key finance ministry official said.
Launched in March 2020, the PMGKAY provides free 5kg of food grains per person per month to about 80 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Govt may extend the free ration scheme beyond Sept 30