Centre extends free foodgrains under National Food Security Act

Union Cabinet has approved providing free foodgrains under the National Food Security Act till December 2023.

Addressing the media, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal said that around 81.35 crore beneficiaries who earlier used to procure foodgrains at subsidised rates will now get the foodgrains free of cost.

He said, the Centre would bear the entire cost amounting to around 2 lakh crore rupees per year.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved Minimum Support Prices for copra for the 2023 season.

Addressing media after the Cabinet Meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said, the MSP for fair average quality of milling copra has been fixed at 10 thousand 860 rupees per quintal.

He said, MSP for ball copra has been fixed at 11 thousand 750 rupees per quintal. Mr. Thakur said, this is an increase of 270 rupees per quintal for milling copra and 750 rupees per quintal for ball copra over the previous season.

Cabinet also approved the revision of the pension of Defence Forces Personnel and family pensioners under One Rank One Pension.

Mr. Thakur said that after the revision, the number of beneficiaries of Defence Forces personnel and family pensioners will go up to over 25 lakh 13 thousand from 20 lakh 60 thousand personnel at present.

He informed that the total annual cost of this will be 8 thousand 450 crore rupees. Mr Thakur said, the revision will be effective from the 1st of July 2019.

Mr. Thakur informed that arrears will be paid in four half-yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners, including those in receipt of Special and Liberalised Family Pension and Gallantry Award Winners, will be paid arrears in one instalment.

Pension of the past pensioners would be re-fixed on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of Defence Forces retirees of the calendar year 2018 in the same rank with the same length of service.