NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet, in a late evening meeting on Tuesday, approved extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for another five years, under which 5 kg of free food grains will be distributed to over 81.35 crore poor people, at a cost of Rs 11.80 lakh crore to the exchequer.
The scheme, announced during the pandemic, was set to expire on December 31 this year. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, delivering the Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 this year, had announced that the scheme will be extended further.
The Cabinet also approved a scheme to provide drones to 15,000 women-operated Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore for two years, from 2024-25. The SHGs could rent these drones to farmers for agriculture purposes. “The women SHGs will be identified from about 89 lakh SHGs formed under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana,” said Union minister Anurag Thakur.
Clearance was also given to continue fast-track special courts for another three years. After the passage of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act in 2018 in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya rape case, the Centre had set up 1,023 fast-track special courts, including 389 to deal exclusively with cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, in 31 states and UTs. The scheme was extended for three years at a cost of Rs 1,952.23 crore.
What schemes got Cabinet nod