FM Announces Free Food Grains For All Migrant Workers For 2 Months

In the second tranche of announcements towards the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package as relief towards the COVID-19 crisis, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced the supply of free food grain to all migrants for two months.

This is part of the three measures the government has proposed to support migrant workers who have or are still making their way back to their hometowns amid the nationwide lockdown.

Migrants who are neither NFSA or State Card beneficiaries in the state they are stationed will be provided 5 kg of grains per person and 1 kg chana per family per month for 2 months.

Around 8 crore migrants are expected to benefit from this announcement and Rs 3,500 crore will be spent by the government towards the initiative.

Sitharaman said that the entire cost will be borne by the Government of India, while state governments will be responsible for the identification of migrants and full distribution as well as providing guidelines.