GUWAHATI, May 17 - Altogether 3,51,320 quintals of free rice have been allotted for the northeastern states as an additional allotment by the Central government for distribution among migrants who are not covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and do not possess PDS cards under the state scheme.
�Under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, the Government of India has allocated free foodgrain for the migrants and migrant labourers and their families who are not covered under NFSA or state scheme PDS cards at the rate of 5 kg per person per month free of cost for two months (May and June) to mitigate their plight during this precarious COVID-19 situation. The Government of India will bear the entire cost on account of such distribution, including food subsidy, intra-state transportation, dealers margin and additional dealers margin, among other things, without any sharing by the states and Union Territories (UTs). Altogether 3,51,320 quintals of free rice have been allotted under the scheme as an additional allotment for the seven states of the Northeast. The Central government has directed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to supply free foodgrain to the respective state governments for further distribution among the migrants,� said Anurag Gupta, Executive Director, FCI (North East Zone).
Gupta has requested the NE states to immediately start lifting of rice allotted under the scheme and also directed FCI field offices to supply free rice to the state governments on requisition. He said adequate foodgrains are available at the FCI depots in all seven states to meet demand under all schemes, including NFSA, PMGKAY, and the additional allotment under the new scheme for migrants.
