As Modi extends free ration scheme for 5 more years, Congress says it indicates economic distress, inequality

The main opposition Congress slammed the move saying that the decision to extend the free ration scheme was an indication of the “continuing high level of economic distress and growing inequalities.” The central government had launched the PMGKAY scheme in April 2020 under which 5 kilogram of free foodgrains was provided to every person on top of their NFSA entitlement of foodgrains at subsidised rates.

The Central government provides foodgrains to people – rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat Rs 2 per kg, and coarse grains Rs 1 per kg – under the NFSA. In December last year, the Government amalgamated PMGKAY with NFSA and decided to provide free foodgrains to beneficiaries under the NFSA, as per their entitlement, for a year beginning January 2023. The Prime Minister has announced the extension of this scheme for the next five years.

The NFSA covers about 81.35 crore people and the Centre had said it would bear the entire cost of Rs 2 lakh crore to provide them food security.

The NFSA covers 50 per cent of the urban population and 75 per cent of the rural population. There are two categories of beneficiary households under the NFSA – Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households. While the AAY households are entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains per month irrespective of the number of family members, the priority households get foodgrains depending on the number of family members (each member 5 kg per month).

The announcement is significant given the Prime Minister and the BJP’s constant attack on the Opposition over freebies. Prime Minister Modi himself had framed the promise of freebies as “revdi culture”.

Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister’s “latest announcement is an indication of the continuing high level of economic distress and growing inequalities. For the vast majority of Indians, incomes have not grown in line with the sky-high prices of essential commodities.”

He said Prime Minister Modi as Chief Minister of Gujarat had “consistently opposed the National Food Security passed by Parliament in Sept 2013.”

“The PMGKY is nothing but the National Food Security Act(NFSA) that already covered 80 crore Indians. This of course is not the only example of a U-turn done by him. On MGNREGA too, which proved to be a life-saver during the pandemic, he was forced to shift his position,” Ramesh said.