80 Crore Indians Given Free Grains For 25 Months: Union Minister Piyush Goyal

New Delhi: Highlighting the efforts of the BJP led central government, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday claimed that during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic period, there was not a single family in India that slept without food.

Addressing the media in a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party's headquarters here in New Delhi, the Union Minister said that during the 25 months, since the outbreak of Covid-19, 80 crore people in India are receiving free ration of 5kg grain every month under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Goyal announced that the free ration scheme will be continued till the month of September this year.

"The government has done the work to provide 5 kg of food grains to 80 crore people at an interval of about 25 months, 1 thousand lakh tonnes of food grains were delivered for free of cost. This is different from the work done under National Food Security," Goyal said.

Goyal brushed aside the claims that the extension of the Anna Yojana scheme would benefit his party in upcoming assembly elections. He said that the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was announced nearly two years ago under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package when there were no elections.

"Let me clarify that any expenditure for the welfare and benefit of the poor is never a burden for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government. Welfare of the poor was, is and will be our priority," he added.

Goyal further stated that the country has adequate availability of grains which has further ensured complete food security. The minister for commerce and industry, consumer affairs, food and public distribution and textiles has also claimed that P.M Modi had offered domestic grain stock to the world if the WTO accords permission, and added that the demand India has been receiving from various countries is "historic" and "beyond imagination".

"The works of the Prime Minister have also received appreciation on the international stage. Right now, the IMF, while assessing the entire situation of India, has said that the food grains given free of cost, whether it is under NFSA or the food grains given under Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Both of these had a huge impact in India. Due to which poverty and inequality reduced in the country," Goyal said.