The Congress on Tuesday criticised the Narendra Modi government for discontinuing the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and asked the Prime Minister to use the money it would save to strengthen food security for the poorest.

The PMGKAY provided an additional 5kg of food grains per month to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said in a statement:

“For the past two years, 81 crore Indians were eligible for 10kg of food grains, but now get only 5kg — a sudden reduction of rations by 50 per cent. The Prime Minister has taken this regressive decision with no consultation with state governments or any discussion in Parliament.”

Pointing out that the government will save over Rs 1 lakh crore through this move, Ramesh explained: “For example, consider a person earlier getting 10kg of wheat. They paid Rs 10 for 5kg under the NFSA, and received 5kg free of cost under the PMGKAY. Now, they save Rs 10 on the NFSA wheat, but are forced to buy 5kg of wheat in the open market, which costs about Rs 150-Rs 175. Now a family of five is forced to spend around Rs 750 more every month, which is around Rs 9,000 more every year.”

The additional foodgrain was being given because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Ramesh said: “The UPA government enacted the right to food in September 2013 to ensure no Indian goes hungry. The Modi government must uphold this principle in today’s situation of widespread distress caused by their own mismanagement of the economy. The Modi government needs to be reminded that providing rations under the NFSA is not a gift to the people of India, but their right.”

The Congress asked the government to use the Rs 1 lakh crore saved by discontinuing the PMGKAY to strengthen the food security system in the following three ways: “

1. 10 crore people who should hold ration cards are excluded because of the inordinate delay in the 2021 Census. They must be included immediately.

“2. The Supreme Court has ordered that rations be provided to all migrant workers even if they do not hold ration cards, as well as other measures to fight hunger. The government has failed to respond to the court’s order from June 2021. It must immediately comply.

“3. The NFSA provides Rs 6,000 per child to women as maternity entitlements. However, the government illegally limits this to Rs 5,000 for the first child only. The government must stop violating the NFSA immediately.”