The Uttarakhand Government would distribute 14 lakh ration kits free to the poor of the state under the Annotsav programme under the aegis of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). The Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami started the Annotsav programme by handing over the ration kits to six beneficiaries at his residence on Monday. These kits would be distributed from all 9230 fair price shops of the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi always remain concerned about the poor and 80 crore people were provided free ration during the pandemic period by him. He said that under PMGKY, five kg food grain (wheat/ rice) and one kg pulse was given to the Antyodaya and primary families for eight months from April to November in 2020. Dhami said that under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Yojana, five kg rice and one kg chick pea was given to the migrants. He added that under One Nation One Ration card scheme, ration card portability is being implemented from August this year. Dhami said that under the state food scheme, the Uttarakhand government provided subsidised ration to 10 lakh families for three months each in the year 2020 and 2021.

The Cabinet Minister Banshidhar Bhagat said that the objective of Annotsav programme is to provide food and respect to every beneficiary. He said that free ration kits would be distributed from all fair price shops of the state.