The Congress on Sunday said the government's decision to extend the free ration scheme for another five years is an indication of the continuing high level of economic distress and growing inequalities in the country.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of shifting his position on the issue.

"His latest announcement is an indication of the continuing high level of economic distress and growing inequalities. For the vast majority of Indians incomes have not grown in line with the sky-high prices of essential commodities," Ramesh said in a post on X.

He said the prime minister has announced that the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) will be extended by another five years.

As chief minister of Gujarat he had consistently opposed the National Food Security Act (NFSA) passed by Parliament in Sept 2013, the Congress leader claimed. Ramesh said the PMGKY is nothing but the NFSA that already covered 80 crore Indians.

"This of course is not the only example of a U-turn done by him. On MGNREGA too, which proved to be a life-saver during the pandemic, he was forced to shift his position," he alleged.

At a rally in Durg on Saturday, Modi had said the government will extend for five years the free ration scheme covering 80 crore poor people.

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