A total of 2.1 lakh tonnes of foodgrains per month has been allotted under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to Karnataka for three months (from April to June). It is to be distributed free of cost to 4.01 crore National Food Security Act beneficiaries.
The total expenditure of about ₹2,351 crore for providing free foodgrains to people in the State is being borne by the Centre, said an official press release. The State government had till May 7 lifted 4.45 lakh tonnes of foodgrains, valued at ₹1,735 crore, under this scheme.
D.V Prasad, chairman and managing director of the Food Corporation of India, said the State has so far received 302 train-loads of foodgrains (a total of 8.03 lakh tonnes, which is roughly 1.60 crore bags of 50 kg packaging) since the lockdown began, with another six lakh tonnes expected to be received in May.
