The Food Corporation of India has supplied about 65 per cent free rice for three months to the Northeast till now, during the corona-induced lockdown, under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) scheme, which mandates to provide 5kg rice each month from April to June.

Sandeepan Borthakur, the manager, commercial and movement operations, FCI, said during the lockdown period, FCI has been able to induct a whopping 7.7 lakh MT of foodgrain across its various locations in the Northeast, handling a record number of 273 rakes during the period. This was tantamount to handling of 5.5 rakes per day with a quantum of around 15,800MT.

He said the scheme mandates to provide 5kg foodgrain free of cost to every beneficiary covered under NFSA for three months (April to June).

Of 3.43 lakh MT stock, about 65 per cent have already been issued to the northeastern states.

'Under regular allocation of foodgrain for the National Food Security Act (NFSA) scheme, 3.13 lakh MT foodgrain have been issued during the lockdown period across the Northeast. Put together, the total foodgrain stock issued to cater to the needs of people under various schemes during 49 days of lockdown is 7.3 lakh MT at an average of 15,000 MT per day,” he said.

Borthakur said to cater to the requirements of persons not covered under NFSA, state governments have been given the choice to lift foodgrain at the rate of Rs 21 per kg for wheat and Rs 22/kg for rice to meet any additional requirements. “With an eye to keep the open market prices under check and to ensure adequate availability of wheat-atta, state governments have been authorised to requisition wheat for flour mills directly from FCI at open-market sale rates. This system is being operated through the district magistrates in a decentralised manner,” he added.

Already, 70,342 MT rice has been offloaded in the market through all the above schemes since March 24.

Under the scheme, 80 crore poor people, covering about two-thirds of the country’s population, will get 5kg rice or wheat each month for the next three months, in addition to the 5kg they get, Union finance and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on March 26.

But many they have not got 5kg of rice exactly.

“We have got 4.8kg or 4.5kg per person and have not get the pulses for March,” a beneficiary covered under NFSA in Barpeta district said.