Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana extended for 6 months till September 2022

• The Government of India has announced an extension in the free ration scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for another six months till September 2022. Earlier the scheme was valid till March 2022.
• The PMGKAY scheme was launched in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic so that the vulnerable households do not suffer due to the non-availability of adequate foodgrains.
• The extension would incur an additional cost of Rs 80,000 crore to the exchequer. So far about Rs 2.6 trillion has been spent on the scheme.
• Under the PM-GKAY each beneficiary gets 5 kg free ration per person per month in addition to his normal quota of foodgrain under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). 
• PM-GKAY is the largest food security program in the world.

Points to remember:

1. Name of the free ration scheme launched during covid pandemic for poor?
2. Validity period of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)?

Source: Financial Express