Kolkata: The distribution of additional foodgrains free-of-cost under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) in Bengal has stopped with effect from today (January 1) due to non-delivery from the Food Corporation of India.
FCI has not been able to complete distribution of food grains for the month of December 2021.
About 18 per cent of rice and 4 per cent of wheat has not been delivered as per indents placed for the month of December. A notification in this regard has been published by the state Food & Supplies department. that has stated that supply cannot be executed for the month of January and is expected start again from February 2022.
"The people of the state should not misunderstand us. We have been compelled to stop the provision of additional food grains in the form of 2 kg rice and 3 kg wheat to the NFSA (National Food Security Act) beneficiaries as there has been a dearth of supply from the centre. In December also we received scanty supply, "Biswambhar Basu, general secretary of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation said.
The centre had announced that the additional foodgrains will be supplied till March 2022. However, short supply forced the state government to stop distribution from today (January 1).
It may be mentioned that usually the Centre provide free-of-cost ration to 6.01 crore ration card holders in Bengal under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Priority Households (PHH) and State Priority Ration Cards (SPHH), while the state government
provides the same to 3.97 crore beneficiaries under Rajya Khadya Suraksha Yojana (RKSY) I and II.