A important step was the announcement by the Centre that, in accordance with the National Food Security Act, the government will offer free food grains to the underprivileged. Under the NFSA, the central government has decided to give 81.35 crore impoverished people free food for a full year.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries who are indigent will receive 35 kg of food per month. The most recent Cabinet decision has been dubbed “a new year present for the country’s impoverished” by the Center. Additionally, the Center plans to invest about Rs 2 lakh crore in the programme each year.
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal said on Twitter that “the central government will cover 100% of the expense of roughly Rs 2 lakh crore” under the programme.
The government presently supplies 5 kilogrammes of food grains each person per month under the NFSA, often known as the food legislation, at a cost of Rs 2-3 per kg. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)-covered families receive 35 kg of food grains each month.
Under the NFSA, poor people receive rice for Rs 3 per kg and wheat for Rs 2 per kg.
The Centre will be entirely responsible for distributing free food grains under the NFSA, according to Food Minister Piyush Goyal, who gave a press briefing on the Union Cabinet’s decision.
The recipients won’t have to pay even one rupee to receive food supplies. According to the GoI, the Center will now spend over Rs 2 lakh crore annually on this programme.
