The scheme to provide free rations to eight crore migrants under the Aatmanirbhar package reached less than 15% of its target beneficiaries, according to data provided by the Food Ministry on Wednesday.
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Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Telangana had zero percent distribution and seven States had less than 1% distribution. The scheme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in mid-May to support migrant workers going hungry without ration cards, but the Centre had left it to the States to identify such people.
Overall, food grains were distributed to 1.21 crore people in May, 15% of the estimated eight crore beneficiaries. In June, less than 93 lakh people, approximately 11.6%, received rations.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension till November of the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), originally meant to provide additional free food grains and pulses to all ration card-holders from April to May. However, the Aatmanirbhar food package, which was meant to provide free food grains to migrants and those without ration cards in May and June, was not extended.
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