Kolkata: TMC on Sunday urged the Center to extend the free ration scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for six months in the middle of the report that the program could be stopped after November 30.
This scheme was launched in March last year, after the Pandemic Covid-19 hit, leaving Lakh people in trouble.
Veteran TMC MP Sougata Roy told reporters that he would soon write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, looking for an extension of the scheme.
“The poor in this country, are still shaken under the impact of destroying pandemics, will be hit hard if the scheme is stopped,” he said.
The center on Friday said that there were no current proposals to continue PMGKAY, given the recovery in the economy and disposal of good food under the open market sales scheme (OMSS).
Roy further said that the state government will continue to provide rations to people who are free of charge.
“Those who wrestle with the economic crisis amid the increase in fuel prices will need assistance from the country and the center.
If the Government Government stops the scheme, it will add to their misery,” said MP TMC.
He hopes the central government will reconsider the plan.
“I will write to PM Narendra Modi immediately to ask him to continue the scheme for six months,” said Dumdum MP on the sidelines of the function here.
At other events in the city, the front left and veteran leader CPI (M) Biman Bose also submitted the same request.
“We know that this country has enough food for the distribution among the poor.
And running a scheme for a long time it shouldn’t be a problem,” Bose added.