PM Modi Live: Narendra Modi Extends PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Benefits Till November-End
Prime Minister Modi will address the nation at 4 p.m. amidst a bitter standoff with China, and as India prepares for ‘Unlock 2’.
Watch: Prime Minister Extends PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
The Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana, that provided the transfer of free foodgrain, particularly to underprivileged families, has now been extended till the end of November, the prime minister said.
"80 crore people will continue to get free foodgrain till November-end," Modi said.
- Every family member will get 5 kilograms of either wheat or rice.
- Every family will get 1 kilogram chickpeas every month.
- More than Rs 90,000 crore will be spent on expanding the scheme, taking the total cost incurred by the govt at Rs 1.5 lakh crore, Modi said.
The scheme was set to end in June. Economists had argued for an extension saying that the most vulnerable sections of the population may need further aid.
Modi Says Local Authorities Should Enforce Strict Rules
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that local authorities need to be strict in enforcing rules and precautionary measures. “Whether it’s the PM or any leader nobody can ignore precautions and rules.”
Modi Notes Rising Negligence Among Citizens
It is true that fatalities in India are still stable compared with other countries. Timely lockdown has saved millions of lives in India, Modi said. “But we are also seeing that since we started unlocking the economy, there has been increasing negligence among people.”
Modi said that people are no longer proactively wearing masks or following social distancing norms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 4 p.m. as India prepares for further easing of lockdown imposed to contain Covid-19.
The country will begin "Unlock 2" on July 1 for which guidelines were issued by the Union Home Ministry on Monday night, further easing the restrictions on the movement of people and economic activity.
This would be the prime minister's sixth address to the nation since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Modi had last addressed the nation on May 12 when he had announced a Rs 20-lakh-crore financial package to boost the economy recovering from coronavirus-induced lockdown.
In his monthly "Mann ki Baat" address on Sunday, the prime minister had urged the people to be more vigilant in the unlock phase and take necessary precautions, stressing that not doing so will put at risk their lives and those of others.