Free Ration Yojana in UP: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to do away with the scheme of distribution of free wheat and rice under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). This is estimated to have a direct impact on at least 36 million ration card holders or 150 million beneficiaries. According to officials of the State Food and Civil Supplies Department, ration card holders will now have to pay Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg for wheat and rice, respectively, while taking ration for July. The ration distribution for the month of July had started from August 25.

In fact, the free food distribution scheme was started by the Yogi government of UP at the beginning of the Kovid-19 epidemic. So far, about 15 crore people in UP have benefited from this scheme. He was getting free ration twice a month. Lucknow District Supply Officer Sunil Kumar Singh told the media that from August, ration card holders will have to pay for food grains (wheat and rice). However, the government will continue to provide one liter of refined oil and one kilogram of salt and chana (gram) free of cost.

Out of 36 million ration card holders in the state, about 31.9 million beneficiaries fall under the priority ie PHH category while 40 lakh beneficiaries come under the 'Antyodaya' category. The 'Antyodaya' ration card is issued to those individuals who do not have a stable income or come under the 'poorest of the poor' families. PHH ration cards are issued to those families, especially in rural areas, who fulfill the eligibility criteria set by their state government.

Recently, information was given to the department that Antyodaya card holders will get a total of 35 kg of food grains. In this, 14 kg wheat will be Rs 2 per kg and 21 kg rice will be Rs 3 per kg per card. At the same time, PHH ration card holders will get five kilograms of food grains. In this, two kg of wheat and three kg of rice will cost Rs 2 per kg and Rs 3 per kg respectively. However, now the government is preparing to discontinue this scheme.

Now in the drought-like situation as well as the worsening agrarian crisis, many social activists have criticized the government's move to withdraw such an essential scheme. Earlier, the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath government had decided to withdraw the free ration scheme at the end of 2021 but extended the scheme till Holi. The government had included oil, salt and pulses along with rice and wheat in the free ration list. Then after winning the elections in March and coming to power, the Yogi government extended this scheme for three more months.