Square Meals In Round Plates

The Centre’s flagship scheme for free ration to the needy has been extended by five months, but distribution remains blighted due to several reasons

- Preetha Nair

In early July, Neelam Devi (name changed) has made at least three trips to the panchayat office, a few kilometres from her house in Bihar’s Motihari district, for information about the status of her ration card. Her last visit turned out to be fruitful as Devi got an assurance from the officer that her monthly ration will continue for a few more months; the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has been extended till November. For the past three months, the benefits of the scheme has turned out to be a lifeline of her family.

Under the scheme, ration cardholders are entitled to five kg of rice or wheat per beneficiary and one kg of pulse per family/per month free of cost, which is over and above the subsidised grains. The scheme is a part of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package to help those affected due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. It was earlier valid from April to June.

While the scheme targets 80 crore beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Neelam Devi doesn’t belong to the club. For the past few months, her family has not been able to avail ration through the Public Distribution System (PDS) as her ration card is not linked to her Aadhaar number. Devi’s husband, who used to work as a driver in Mumbai, has returned home and is out of work now.