'Centre sent 67 metric tonne less of foodgrains'

Kolkata: The state Food and Supplies department has written to the Centre informing them that the amount of allocation of foodgrains under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) for the month of April, May and

June has been 67 metric tonne less.

The state wanted 9.02823 lakh metric tonne of rice under PMGKAY but the centre has allocated 9.02756 MT of

rice .

The state has already written to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution furnishing details of the food grains distributed under National Food Security Act.

The total number of beneficiaries in the state under NFSA is 6.1 crore.

A letter written by the Additional Secretary of the state Food department to the concerned central ministry reads that the total rice distributed in the month of April and May is 5.91 lakh metric tonne.

The state has also mentioned that 36305.36 MT of rice has been distributed under Atma Nirbhar Bharat (ANB) package in the state.

The state Food department has handed over pulses to the beneficiaries under NFSA in the month of June.

Each family received 1 kg of pulses. However the state has not finalized the distribution of pulses in the month of July as the amount of moong dal that was requisitioned by the state government to start distribution from July 16 has not yet reached the state.

The Centre soon after the lockdown was imposed due to COVID -19 pandemic had announced that they will be distributing pulses across the country through ration shops free of cost from the month of April.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) was entrusted with the responsibility of arranging distribution of pulses.