Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal on Wednesday dubbed the Centre's decision to extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for five more years as a "poll gimmick".

The Central government on Wednesday extended the PMGKAY scheme to provide 5 kilogrammes of free foodgrains per month to 81.35 crore poor for another five years that would cost the exchequer about Rs 11.80 lakh crore.

The Opposition Congress also criticised the BJP-led Central government and termed the decision to extend PMGKAY for another five years as "election-oriented".

"The BJP-led government at the Centre has all along duped poor people. Since the BJP came to power, it stopped several welfare schemes This apart, the prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre reduced the foodgrains provided under the PMGKAY by half to 5 kg. As the general election is approaching, it is a gimmick by the Centre to extend the scheme. This is not a new scheme, but just an extension of the old scheme," BJD MLA Dhruba Charan Jena told reporters here.

Replying to a question, the BJD lawmaker asked the BJP state leadership to explain why the Centre reduced the quantity of free-of-cost foodgrains from 10 kg to 5 kg.

Senior Congress leader Panchanan Kanungo also alleged that the Centre has been cruel to the poor people by raising the price of essential commodities and now extending the free-of-cost foodgrain scheme by another five years aiming the upcoming general elections.

BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the extension of the free-of-cost foodgrain provision for the poor people.

"During five years of the Modi government, as many as 13.5 crore people have come beyond the BPL category. The free foodgrain scheme is a big success of the Modi government," Samal said, adding that the Centre will spend Rs 11.80 lakh crore towards free-of-cost foodgrain distribution.

BJP MLA Nauri Nayak said: "The Centre provided free foodgrains during the Covid-19 pandemic. The announcement of free-of-cost foodgrain has ended Naveen Patnaik's Rupee 1 a kg rice scheme. Now, the foodgrain is available free of cost. Neither the beneficiary nor the state government pay for the free rice. It is indeed a pro-poor scheme."

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