While most of the help is flowing for ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) cardholders Gujarat has gone a step ahead. The Gujarat government has decided to extend the ‘free ration’ scheme for the ‘Above Poverty Line’ (APL)‘ as well. Chief Minister (CM) Vijay Rupani on Wednesday made the announcement.
CM Rupani said the state government will provide free ration to 60 lakh families with the Above Poverty Line 1 card. This would be done under the National Food Security Act. “We have decided that people with Above Poverty Line 1 card, who were not getting food grains due to National Food Security Act will now be given 10 kg wheat grains, 3 kg Rice, 1 Kg Pulse grain and 1 kg sugar-free of cost“, said the CM.
Most of the states including Gujarat are already providing free ration to the BPL cardholders for the next 3 months. The free ration initiative comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a 1.7 lakh crore relief package. During the package, the Finance Minister said 80 crore poor people would get free ration.
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The help of APL is an extension of that order by the Gujarat government. The state so far has recorded 186 cases of COVID-19. Out of the total 165 infected people in Gujarat, 25 have recovered and 13 have passed away.