Prior to 2017, ration meant for the poor would land into the hands of the “ration mafia” and be sent to a different country from Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said as he extended the Government’s free ration distribution scheme till March 2022 when the Assembly election is due.
Packets of salt, dal and edible oil with images of the CM and Prime Minister Narendra Modi printed on them were distributed to beneficiaries at an event in Lucknow on Sunday. Free ration — salt, edible oil, dal and sugar (packets of 1 kg each) — would be distributed to 15 crore people across the State through 80,000 ration shops, said the government.
The extended scheme of the Government fits into its multi-pronged campaign pitch of Hindutva and welfarism.
Free ration was distributed to the poor from April to November 2021 as part of the PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana to tackle the economic crisis brought about by the second wave of COVID-19. The State Government had also distributed free ration from April to June. The scheme is now extended from Diwali to Holi, said the U.P. CM.
