The government would spend more than Rs 26,000 crore on this initiative. (Representational)
The centre today announced that it will provide 5 kg free food grain under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for the next two months, May and June. The move is a repeat of last year's exercise and is set to benefit around 80 crore people.
"In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to the poor, government of India has decided to provide free food grains to 80 crore beneficiaries, on the same pattern as last year's PM Garib Kalyan Yojana," the government said in a statement.
PM Narendra Modi has stressed that it is important that the poor of the country have nutritional support when the country is facing the second wave of coronavirus, it added.
The government would spend more than Rs 26,000 crore on this initiative.
The country is in a severe grip of second wave of coronavirus infections and several state governments have imposed various restrictions to cut the chain of virus transmission.