Dimapur: The sixth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) scheme was flagged off on Thursday at the FCI Godown in Kevijau Colony, Dimapur.

PMGKAY is an additional allocation of food grains to all the beneficiaries covered under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) free of cost. The scheme is a pro-poor initiative as part of the government’s economic response to ameliorate hardships faced by the poor due to economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press release issued by the MIS (Section), F&CS, Director V Lovitoly Sema stated that the department has successfully implemented the PMGKAY – Phase I to V, and as per the announcement of the Government of India, Phase VI was being flagged off on April 7. She announced that the targeted beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act will be benefited from the additional allocation of food grains @5Kg per person per month free of cost from April 2022 to September 2022.  

Flagging off the scheme, she also expressed appreciation and gratitude to the FCI for the support and cooperation extended by them.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by Dr. Kapenlo Thong, Deputy Director, Food & Civil Supplies; a brief speech was delivered by P Vanlalpak K Gante, Divisional Manager, Dimapur, Nagaland, who congratulated the Food & Civil Supply (F&CS) department for the prompt response and also appealed to the department for successful implementation of the Scheme.

Officials who attended the programme included, Additional Director (F&CS), Deputy Director (F&CS), Assistant Director of Supply (R&D), General Manager (FCI), Divisional Manager (FCI), Depot Manager (FCI), and staff of Directorate including MIS and R&D branch, the release stated.