Extension of PMGKAY till November politically motivated Mohammad Salim

    Kolkata, Jun 30 (PTI) CPI(M) Politburo member Mohammad
Salim on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
announcement to extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna
Yojana (PMGKAY) till November is a politically-motivated move,
aimed at the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
    He claimed that the country has a reserve of 10 lakh
crore metric tonne of food grains, which is three times that
of the required buffer stock.
    "But, since the Bihar elections are near, the prime
minister has announced the free ration programme till Chatth
puja," Salim said, demanding that the Centre provide free food
grains to all till December amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Under the scheme, five kg of wheat or rice and one kg
of pulses per month will be given free of cost to the poor.
    The food programme announced by Modi is nothing new,
but was introduced a year back, Salim said. "It is old wine in
a new bottle."
    Salim also said the central government is trying to
shore up its financial reserves by continuously raising fuel
prices, putting the masses in great distress owing to
increasing cost of essential items.
    He added that the Centre's decision to ban 59 Chinese
apps is a "gimmick".
    "When people are calling for safeguarding the map of
the country, the government is engaged in banning apps,"
Salim said. PTI AMR
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)