UP: Record 200 Lakh MT of free food grains distributed to 15 cr beneficiaries so far

New Delhi: Ensuring food security to the needy and poor amid the Covid-19 pandemic period, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has so far distributed 200 Lakh MT of free food grains to about 15 crore beneficiaries so far.

To help mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 on the poor, the state has set a record by distributing a total of 200 lakh metric tonnes of food grains from April 2020 to March 2022 in the distribution of foodgrains started by the Central and State Governments during the Covid-19 crisis in the most transparent manner.

Giving a big relief to the people, the state government has distributed ration to every poor and helpless through 80,000 fair price shops.

It is noteworthy that the Yogi government also extended the distribution of free ration for three more months as soon as the government was formed for the second term. Under the free ration scheme, 35 kg ration and along with it food items like pulses, sugar, edible oil, salt are being given to the beneficiary households. Ration is being distributed under the fifth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.

In the state, 8 lakh metric tonnes of food grains worth Rs 195 crore were distributed by the state government between April and June, 2020, to all Antyodaya cards and eligible household card holders. On the other hand, a total of 12,000 MT of food grains and 1100 MT of gram were distributed free of cost to the migrant laborers under the Aatmanirbhar bharat scheme.

Apart from this, a total of 134 Lakh MT of food grains were distributed free of cost from the year 2020 to March 2022 under the PMGKAY scheme. Between June, 2021 to August, 2021, 23 Lakh MT of food grains worth Rs 564 crore were distributed free of cost to all types of card holders.

From December, 2021 to March, 2022, a total of 18.71 Lakh MT of wheat, 12.75 Lakh MT of rice and 1.35 Lakh MT of whole gram, refined soybean oil and iodized salt (each material – 1.35 Lakh MT) were distributed free of cost, the value of which is Rs 3800 crores.