2nd Big Announcement! Free Food Grain Supply for 8 Crore Migrants; One Nation One Ration Card for 67 Crore Beneficiaries

When the world is fighting against the novel coronavirus FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s today’s announcement is coming as a big relief for many people. The Finance Minister has today announced the second tranche of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package which is focussing on migrants, street vendors, traders, self-employed people and small farmers.

Free Food Grain Supply to All Migrants: Nirmala Sitharaman

The minister announced free food grain supply to all migrants who are non–card holders which amounts to an expenditure of Rs 3,500 crore by the Centre for the coming 2 months. According to it, atleast 8 crore migrant workers will be given free food grains of 5 kg of rice or wheat with 1 kg of chana or pulses, for all those migrants who do not fall under the Food Security Act.

She said, “Free food grains supply to all migrants for the next 2 months for non-card holders, they shall be given 5 kg wheat/rice per person & 1 kg chana per family per month for the next 2 months. Around 8 crore migrants will benefit from Rs 3,500 crore to be spent on this by the Centre.”

‘One Nation One Ration Card’ for 67 crore Beneficiaries: Nirmala Sitharaman

Sitharaman added, an initiative of ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ will also be implemented for about 67 crore beneficiaries in at least 23 states which will cover 83 percent of the PDS population. It will be covered by national portability by August 2020.

Portable PDS Ration Cards: Nirmala Sitharaman

PDS ration cards will be made portable for allowing the migrant workers to use those same ration cards across states. The Union government has earmarked an amount of Rs 3,500 crore to give free food grains to those 8 crore migrant workers who do not have either Central or state PDS cards.

Interestingly, this is the second phase of announcements by the Union Finance Ministry, elaborating Centre’s Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package.

On Wednesday, Sitharaman had announced a slew of measures under the huge economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore that she said would infuse vigour in the economy and benefit different economic and industrial sectors.