explained | Is PMGKAY still needed?

Story so far: The scheme to provide free food grains to ration card holders as part of COVID-19 relief ends this month. While the Food Ministry maintains that the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is no longer needed as the economy is reviving, Food rights activists insist vulnerable communities still need support, arguing that the government has enough food grains to expand the scheme.

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What is PMGKAY?

Was part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Scheme Centre’s initial COVID-19 relief package, back in March 2020 when the first lockdown was announced. It provides for distribution of 5 kg rice or wheat per person per month free of cost to 80 crore beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act. This is over 5 kgs already provided to ration card holders at a subsidized rate, thus ensuring doubling of the availability of food grains to poor people at a time when the pandemic and lockdown were destroying livelihoods.

The scheme was initially to run from April to June 2020, but was then extended for another five months from July to November. In these first two phases 320 lakh tonnes of food grains were allocated and distributed to about 95% of the beneficiaries. Initially, one kilogram of pulses was also given under this scheme, which was later restricted to only chana dal and was discontinued in later phases. After the onset of the second wave of the pandemic, PMGKAY was resumed for two months in May-June 2021, and then extended for another five months from July to November. Another 278 lakh tonnes of food grains were allocated for these two phases, and distribution is still on.

Read also: Duty cut, stock cap helped bring down edible oil prices: Govt.

Were all poor people covered under the scheme?

In this scheme food grains were provided to only those families who had ration cards. During the first lockdown, the plight of migrant workers who had registered cards in their home villages but were stranded without food or employment in the cities where they worked, made headlines. Many other poor families, including the state quota on the number of ration cards, did not have ration cards due to various reasons. In May and June 2020, the Center allocated 8 lakh tonnes of food grains to be distributed by states under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme for stranded migrants and others without ration cards, though only 40% had been distributed by August. The scheme was not revived during the second lockdown.

80 crore limit on NFSA beneficiaries and state ration card quota is based on 2011 census data. Given the projected growth in population since then, economists have estimated that 100 million eligible people are being left out of the safety net of the NFSA. In its June 2021 judgment in a suo motu case on the plight of migrant workers, the Supreme Court directed that the Center and the state should continue to provide food grains to migrants, whether they have ration cards or not.

What are the arguments in favor and against extension of PMGKAY?

Last week, Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey told reporters that there were no plans to extend the scheme beyond November 30. “Since the economy is also reviving and OMSS [or open market sale scheme] This is also exceptionally good, there is no proposal from the department for extension,” he said. He mentioned earlier that states are free to buy rice and wheat under OMSS and distribute it to migrants and other vulnerable communities.

The Right to Food campaign wrote to Food Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday, pointing to the Supreme Court’s decision and noting that the pandemic still exists, unemployment remains at record levels and widespread hunger among vulnerable communities. He argued that the government should not only extend PMGKAY for another six months, but also universalize the public distribution system, so that anyone would get food support, regardless of whether one had a ration card or not. . He also suggested that pulses and cooking oils be added to the monthly entitlement in view of the recent increase in the prices of these commodities.

What is the status of the food grain stock of the country?

The production of food grains has been at a record level in the last few years. Government procurement from farmers at minimum support prices is also on the rise, especially after farmers protested against three agrarian reform laws, as the Center is eager to prove that the laws will not affect procurement. About 890 lakh tonnes of paddy was procured in 2020-21 as compared to 764 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Wheat procurement for 2021-22 exceeded 433 lakh tonnes, which is also beating the previous record.

This means that the food stock with the Food Corporation of India is at an all-time high. Rice and wheat stocks were above 9 million tonnes in June and July 2021. As of October, the stock stood at 724 lakh tonnes, which was about 100 lakh tonnes more than the previous year. This is well above the buffer requirement, the stocking criterion for the central pool for October is only 307 lakh tonnes, which includes strategic reserves of 5 million tonnes.

The Right to Food campaign claimed that the quantity of food grains in FCI godowns would be enough to universalize PDS and extend PMGKAY for another six months.