Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat package, Government of India has decided that food grains will be provided free of cost at the rate of 5 Kg per month for two months
Stranded migrant labourers walk carrying their belongings to board a special train from MGR Central railway station after the government eased a nationwide lockdown imposed as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Chennai. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
The Atma Nirbhar Bharat package to provide food grains free of cost at the rate of Rs 5 per kg for two months to migrant labourers who are not covered under NFSA or State scheme PDS cards, kicks off on Saturday.
Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat package, Government of India has decided that food grains will be provided free of cost at the rate of 5 Kg per month for two months i.e. May and June 2020, to about 8 Crore migrant labour who are not covered under NFSA or State scheme PDS cards
The total estimated cost of about Rs. 3500 Crore for implementation of this scheme will be fully borne by the Government of India. All India Allocation of food grains under this scheme is 8 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT), the government said.
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Delivery of food grains under this scheme has already started by Food Corporation of India (FCI).
“Today 1109 MT rice was issued from Tamil Nadu and 151 MT from Kerala to the respective State Governments for further distribution to the eligible migrant labour. Every arrangement has already been made to deliver food grains under this scheme across the country and sufficient stocks have been positioned in every State and Union Territory (UT) of India,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a press note.
“For meeting the requirements in any part of the country, stocks have been positioned in 2122 warehouses spread across the length and breadth of the country, including islands of Andaman and Lakshadweep. Foodgrain stocks in consuming states/UTs are being regularly replenished through the movement of stocks from producing areas by rail, road and sea routes,” it added.
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