Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the government will extend for five years the free ration scheme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, covering 80 crore poor people.

This announcement was made by Modi while addressing a rally for Chhattisgarh elections in Durg.

"During COVID-19, the biggest concern of the poor was what they would feed their children... Then I decided that I will not let any poor sleep hungry, hence the BJP government started the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana," he said.

Even today, lakhs of poor people have been getting free rice and gram under this scheme which is ending in December, but "your son (referring to himself) who has come out from among you has decided....The BJP government will extend the free ration scheme for 80 crore poor people for the next five years, the prime minister said.

"The BJP government has made such arrangements that no matter wherever you go in the country, you will continue to get free ration. Modi has given you the facility of 'One Nation One Ration Card'," he added.

Polling for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases on November 7 and 17.

Modi alleged that Congress treated the poor as a "vote bank" and deceived them.

"Congress has been emotionally exploiting the poor of the country. Congress' entire game was in the interest of its family and dhanna seth. For Congress, poor is only vote (bank),” he said.

Modi said the BJP worked in the direction of 'garib kalyan' (poor's welfare) with patience and honesty.

"For Modi, the poor are the biggest caste in the country and Modi is their 'sevak' (servant), brother and son. The BJP's policy has resulted in the decline of poverty. In five years, 13.50 crore people have come out of poverty," he added.

He accused the Congress of hating the poor.

"The Congress always wants the poor to beg in front of them, hence it wants the poor to remain poor," Modi added.

"When BJP comes to power in Chhattisgarh, the process of construction of houses for lakhs of poor families will be expedited,” Modi added.

The PMGKAY was started in April 2020 to help the poor amid the COVID pandemic for three months but it was extended later.

Under the free ration scheme, poor families get 5 kg of food grains each month.

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