Gujarat government has announced to start Free Ration Scheme 2020 to tackle Coronavirus (COVID 19). In this scheme, the state govt. will provide food items like wheat, rice, pulses, sugar absolutely free of cost. This scheme will ensure that no poor people in the state remain hungry during 21 day Lockdown period. Around 60 lakh APL ration card holder families (3.25 crore people) to benefit from this scheme.
Coronavirus (COVID 19) is a pandemic which is quite scary if it takes the form of community transmission. Starting from Wuhan in China, this disease is a major outbreak in Italy, Spain and 180+ countries worldwide. To prevent its outbreak in India and particularly in Gujarat, the state govt. has started Free Ration Scheme 2020-21.
You can check your name in the Gujarat ration card list at the official website of Gujarat PDS department. This scheme will benefit all poor people along with daily wage workers by ensuring proper food supply in lock down period.
Gujarat Free Ration Scheme 2020-21
Gujarat govt. on 8 April 2020 announced to provide free ration to around 60 lakh above poverty line (APL) families which are not covered in National Food Security Act (NFSA). This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held under the supervision of CM Vijay Rupani. Each APL-1 cardholder family will get the following items free of cost.:-
- 10 kg of wheat
- 3 kg of rice
- 1 kg of pulses
- 1 kg of sugar
The state govt. has also distributed free ration to around 65 lakh families holding either priority ration cards or Antyodaya ration cards. The distribution of essential food commodities under the Gujarat Free Ration Scheme 2020-21 will be done through fair price shops. This scheme will ensure that the poor who depends on daily wages for livelihood is not affected by 21 day nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak.
Need for Free Ration Scheme for APL-1 Families
This scheme will ensure that buyers will not have to line up in front of ration shops to buy monthly ration. People will not have to purchase food items for the month of April. With the entire country under lockdown, Gujarat govt. has taken this important decision for poor families. There are several APL-1 ration cardholder families who needed free ration but were denied as their name was not included in the NFSA beneficiaries list.
Around 60 lakh families or 3.25 crore individuals holding ration cards will get food items under Free Ration Scheme in Gujarat. This includes 10 kg wheat and 3 kg rice per person and 1 kg of pulses, sugar, and salt per family free of cost. The chief minister said his government is concerned about the state’s poor families and will continue to take decisions to ensure they do not face hurdles during the lockdown.
Timelines for Free Ration Distribution in Gujarat
The date of distribution for free ration scheme in Gujarat would be decided later. The state govt. of Gujarat has decided to bear the entire cost of the scheme. CM urges that only those families who are in crisis and need food grains should avail govt’s scheme. Those who are well-to-do should only allow the needy to avail of the scheme.
As works have been closed for 21 days, poor families earning daily livelihood face great problems. CM said that the sensitive government understands this and will take more such decisions in the future so such people do not face many hurdles. CM Vijay Rupani also requested people to stay indoors for 21 days. Gujarat govt. has so far reported 241 cases of Coronavirus and 17 deaths due to COVID-19. The entire state is under lockdown.