BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider extension of additional allocation of rice for the next eight months under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for distribution among the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) till the pandemic situation improved.
“Since adequate foodgrains are available at present with the government, I would request you to kindly consider extension of additional allocation of rice at least for the next eight months under PMGKAY for distribution among the beneficiaries under NFSA till pandemic situation improves and complete normalcy is restored in the State,” the Chief Minister said in a letter to the Prime Minister.
Conveying his sincere thanks to the Prime Minister for providing rice free of cost for seven months under the PMGKAY for distribution to NFSA beneficiaries in the state from May 2021 to November 2021 during pandemic, the Chief Minister said provision of foodgrains free of cost to people at this critical juncture ensured that not a single needy and vulnerable person was deprived of foodgrains.
“Odisha has prioritised distribution of seven months’ quota of PMGKAY-III foodgrains to the NFSA beneficiaries and completed it by November 5, 2021. Similar facility was also extended to all the beneficiaries of the state covered under its own Food Security Scheme,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that the effect of Covid-19 has not subsided completely despite a fast-paced vaccination drive undertaken across the state as cases of new infection continue to surface. Besides, other economic activities are yet to reach the pre-pandemic level as a result of which people still struggle to lead a normal life with sustainable means of livelihood, he added.
Stating that under the prevailing situations, it is felt highly necessary that the government must provide relief to the vulnerable during these critical hours, the Chief Minister said a serious cause of concern in this ongoing pandemic scenario is the challenge of food security to the needy and vulnerable.