NEW DELHI: The Government of India has decided to extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) by another three months. The free ration scheme was coming to an end in September 2022 after it had been extended in March for six months. The decision was taken by the Central cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The press note issued by the Cabinet stated that the government has taken this step to support the poor and vulnerable sections of society for the forthcoming major festivals.
The scheme has been in operation for 25 months under six phases. The financial implication for the central government has been Rs 3.45 lakh crore up to Phase-VI. Now, with the additional expenditure of Rs 44,762 crore for Phase VII, the overall cost will be Rs3.91 lakh crore for all the phases.