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Sushil Modi requests Amit Shah for extension of free food grain scheme for poor
Bihar deputy chief minister said the poor in the state required extended support with food grains to tide over the economic impact of crisis triggered by coronoavirus outbreak.
Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi Tuesday requested Union minister of home affairs Amit Shah to extend Centre’s free food grain scheme by another three months in the state till September this year to provide cover to the poor, hit hard by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
During a telephonic conversation with Shah, Sushil Modi said that the poor people were yet to emerge from the economic blow suffered during the lockdown.
“As the impact of Covid-19 pandemic has failed to subside, many (economically poor class) have not been able to manage a source of income and need food grains to sustain. So the free distribution of food grains among the poor should be continued from July to September,” Modi said.
Sushil Modi said that a total of 8.71 crore poor people were given five kilogram rice every month from April to June in a relief measure worth ₹5,057.30 crore. He added that 1.68 crore families were also given one kilogram of lentils worth ₹two crore during the same period.
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The deputy CM said that a large number of migrant labourers and non-ration card holders, who returned to the state during the lockdown period, were also provided assistance by the state government.
“Over 86 lakh people among them were provided five-kilogram rice and two-kilogram gram worth ₹337.15 crore in May and June, free of cost,” he said and added that relief material worth ₹6,024.45 crore was distributed among the poor during the lockdown period.
The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19
Modi said that the state government had endeavoured to ensure no poor family in the state is deprived of relief measures offered during the lockdown.
“Despite all the economic activities being on hold, there has been no report of any starvation death in the state during this period,” he said.
Bihar goes to assembly polls in October-November this year.
