UPA government faltered on free ration, ours giving succour to 80 crore: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP on Sunday claimed that Congress-led UPA had expressed inability to distribute free ration despite a Supreme Court order and contrasted the approach of the Manmohan Singh govt with free ration being given to over 80 crore people by the Modi govt under PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana since the pandemic.

"On 6th Sept 2010, Manmohan Singh said, ' govt will do all it can to provide affordable food to those below the poverty line but cannot implement Supreme Court's order to give free foodgrain to the poor'.

He further said 'Supreme Court should not go into the realm of policy formulation'," BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said as he shared a media report of 2010.

BJP functionary said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided free ration to over 80 crore people. "If Congress comes, it will kick the stomach of the poor," he added.

In Aug 2010, Supreme Court had said agriculture minister Sharad Pawar should figure out how to give away the excess foodgrain to poor families. Pawar responded by saying what the court had offered was a suggestion, not an order. However, the court had corrected him, saying it was an order.

As per the media report, Manmohan Singh had said, "An estimated 37% live below the poverty line. How can free food be given to so many?" Govt had informed the court that it had set aside an additional 25 lakh tonnes for distribution through ration shops. The issue came to the limelight after huge quantities of foodgrain were said to be rotting as there was shortage of warehouses.

Just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Modi govt had decided that Centre would provide free foodgrain to about 81.3 crore beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana at an estimated cost of Rs 11.8 lakh crore for a period of five years with effect from Jan 1, 2024.