Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to increase allotments of ration beneficiaries under PMGKAY (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana) and consider supply of cereals under this scheme.
According to Roy’s letter when the NDA government introduced the National Food Security Act (NFSA) it made clear provisions for supply of 5 kg foodgrains per month at prizes; rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2 per kg and coarse grain at Re 1 per kg.
Following the Covid pandemic outbreak in 2020, the NDA government provided 5 kg foodgrains as an additional quota free-of-cost under PMGKAY. “Unfortunately, however, after the pandemic was under control, with effect from January 2023 the main benefits of NFSA was withdrawn tacitly and was replaced by PMGKAY thereby the allotted quantities against prices was substituted by free supply of the same quality,” read the letter from Roy who is contesting from Dum Dum in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. He further pointed out in his letter that the benefits to 80.35 per cent consumers across the country are being carried out in a changed name under the nomenclature PMGKAY, doing away with NFSA nomenclature. The total number of such beneficiaries in Bengal is over 6.01 crore. The NFSA came into effect in Bengal on January 27, 2016.