Ministers, BJP leaders hail extension of PMGKAY
New Delhi: Applauding the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), BJP leaders and Union ministers on Tuesday said this shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government's commitment to the welfare of the poor amid the coronavirus crisis.
In a televised address to the nation, Modi announced that the PMGKAY, a free ration scheme, would be extended for 80 crore people across the country till end of November.
Under the scheme, five kg of wheat or rice and one kg of pulses will be given free of cost to the poor every month. The scheme was initially rolled out for three months.
Underlining that Modi is leading the country with alertness and sensitivity during the COVID-19 crisis, BJP chief J P Nadda, in a series of tweets, said the prime minister should be applauded for saving lives and livelihood amid this pandemic.
Describing the extension of PMGKAY as a visionary step, he said this shows Modi's commitment to the welfare of the poor.
"Prime Minister Modi stood like a rock at the time of this crisis and has the courage to transform challenges into opportunities. We are grateful to him for extending the free supply of foodgrains to poor in the country amid this pandemic till Diwali and Chath puja," Nadda said.
BJP's senior leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also attributed the extension of PMGKAY to Modi's visionary leadership and also thanked farmers and honest taxpayers of the country, saying that their hard work and dedication were helping the benefits reach the poor.
"The extension of Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana shows the sensitivity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the millions of poor and his commitment for their welfare. Nobody slept hungry in a large country like India during the Corona period, thanks to Modiji's foresight and successful implementation of the scheme," Shah said in a tweet.
Echoing similar sentiments, party leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said with the extension of this scheme Modi has ensured no one sleeps hungry in the country.
