The Centre on Thursday told non-governmental organisations that have been running relief camps for vulnerable sections or operating kitchens to feed people during the national lockdown to buy rice and wheat at below market prices from the Food Corporation of India.
In a letter to the nonprofit sector and state governments, NITI Aayog chief executive officer Amitabh Kant asked them to contact the district administration or Food Corporation of India to buy a kilogram of wheat at ₹21 and rice for ₹22 to ensure that no one in the country remains hungry.
“It has also been directed... that there will be no upper limit for allocation of food grains to each such organisation from any FCI depot,” Kant said in his letter sent out on Thursday.
About 92,000 NGOs are registered with the NITI Aayog Darpan portal but others who may not be on this list would also be entitled to receive grains at these rates to feed the vulnerable sections including migrant labourers.
In its report to the Supreme Court earlier this month, the government had said over 26,000 relief and shelter camps had been opened across the country, helping 1.03 million migrant workers and other needy people during the Covid-19 lockdown.
{{/usCountry}}In its report to the Supreme Court earlier this month, the government had said over 26,000 relief and shelter camps had been opened across the country, helping 1.03 million migrant workers and other needy people during the Covid-19 lockdown.
{{/usCountry}}Of the 26,476 camps, 22,567 are being run by governments of various states and Union territories and 3,909 by non-government organisations. Government-run camps house around 630,000 and NGO camps some 400,000.
Additionally, food camps operated by various governments are feeding 8.4 million people.