Government to Provide Free Foodgrains to 80 Crore People

In a major announcement, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the government will provide free foodgrains to more than 80 crore people in India under the National Food Security Act. The government will not charge a single rupee for these food grains until December 2023 and is expected to spend around Rs 2 lakh crores per year on this initiative. The National Food Security Act was passed in 2013 and provides subsidised food grains for nearly two-thirds of India’s population. It covers 75% of rural households and 50% of urban households across the country. Under this scheme, beneficiaries are entitled to receive 5 kg of wheat or rice per person per month at a price of Rs 3-5 per kg depending on their location. Speaking about the new initiative, Goyal said that it is part of the government’s efforts to ensure that no one goes hungry in India. He added that this move will also help reduce poverty and malnutrition among vulnerable sections of society. The minister also noted that providing free food grains would benefit those who are unable to afford them due to financial constraints or other reasons. Goyal further stated that the government has taken several steps over the past few years such as increasing coverage under public distribution system (PDS) and introducing direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes for efficient delivery of benefits under various welfare programmes including NFSA, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) etc., which have helped improve access to basic necessities like food, housing, cooking gas etc., among poor families across India. The minister concluded by saying that with this move, the government aims to make sure no one goes hungry in India and create an inclusive society where everyone has access to basic amenities without any discrimination or bias based on caste, creed or religion.