Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to the people who got lakhs of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) in Gujarat. PM Modi connected with people through video conferencing and got to know their thoughts and experiences. Modi told the beneficiaries that free food grains would be given to the poor till Diwali. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel were also present in this virtual program.
While addressing the people, PM Modi said that the scale of Ease of Living has been fixed as compared to earlier. Now development is reaching villages and towns also. On the brilliant performance of the country's players in the Olympic Games, he said that the players have done this performance while battling the biggest disaster of 100 years. This confidence comes when systems change and become transparent.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is a food safety welfare scheme, which was launched by the central government in March last year during the outbreak of the Corona pandemic. The scheme is operated by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
After independence, almost every government had talked about providing cheap food to the poor. The scope and budget of cheap ration schemes increased year after year, but the effect it should have had remained limited. One major reason for this was the lack of an effective delivery system.
To change this situation, a new work was started after the year 2014. Today, in addition to the quota of wheat at Rs 2/kg, rice at Rs 3/kg, 5 kg of wheat and rice is being given free to every beneficiary. That is, almost double the amount of ration is being provided to the ration card holders than before this scheme. This scheme is going to last till Diwali.
PM Modi said that there was a time when the talk of development was limited to big cities only. Even there, development meant only that flyovers, roads, and infrastructure were built in specific areas. But this thinking has changed in the last few years. New benchmarks are being set for Ease of Living.
If 2 crore poor families are given houses, they are able to live without fear of cold, heat, and rain. When 100 crore poor families get freedom from going out for defecation, their life changes. When roads connect villages with cities, when poor families get free gas connections, they are empowered.
The PM said this time the highest number of players of India have qualified in the Olympics. Remember, this has been done while battling the biggest disaster of 100 years. There are many sports in which we have qualified for the first time. Not only qualified but also giving tough competition.
The zeal, passion, and spirit of Indian players is at the highest level today. This confidence comes when the right talent is identified, it is encouraged. This confidence comes when the systems change, become transparent. This new confidence is becoming the identity of New India. Today this belief is coming out in every corner of India. Talented people from villages and towns are coming forward.
The PM said that in this era of a global pandemic, we have to maintain caution. Today the country has reached the target of 50 crore vaccinations, but we also have to wear masks and maintain social distancing. We are seeing that in countries where the masks were removed, cases have started increasing again. In the nectar festival of independence, a resolution has to be taken that the poor-rich, children, men, and women should have equal participation in this campaign.
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