Centre Extends PMGKAY For Another Three Months

New Delhi: In pursuance of the pro-people announcement made by the Prime Minister in 2021and regarding the successful implementation of additional food security under PMGKAY, the Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the  Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY-Phase VII) for a further period of 3 months i.e. October to December 2022.

At a time when the world is battling with the effects of Covid on its decline and insecurity due to various reasons, India has been successfully maintaining food security for its vulnerable sections while taking necessary steps to keep availability and affordability for the common man.

Recognising that people have gone through a difficult period of the pandemic, Govt has decided to extend PMGKAY for a period of three months so that poor and vulnerable sections of society are supported for the forthcoming major festivals like Navratri, Dussehra, Milad-un-nabi, Deepawali, Chhath pooja, Gurunanak dev Jayanti, Christmas, etc. which they can celebrate with great gaiety and community for festivities.  With a view to ensuring this, Govt. has approved this extension of PMGKAY for three months, so that they continue to enjoy the benefits of easy availability of food grains without any financial distress.

Under this welfare scheme, 5 kg of food grain per person per month is provided free of cost for all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) [Antodaya Anna Yojana & Priority Households] including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Financial implication for the Government of India has been about  Rs. 3.45 Lakh Crore  upto Phase-VI of PMGKAY. With the additional expenditure of about Rs. 44,762 Crore for Phase-VII of this scheme, the overall expenditure of PMGKAY will be about Rs. 3.91 lakh crore for all the phases.

The total outgo in terms of food grains for PMGKAY Phase VII is likely to be about 122 LMT. The aggregate allocation of food grain for phases I- VII is about 1121 LMT.

So far, PMGKAY has been in operation for 25 months as under

• Phase I and II ( 8 months) : April’20 to Nov.’20
• Phase-III to V (11 months) : May’21 to March’22
• Phase-VI    ( 6 months)  : April’22 to Sept.’22