Packets of salt, refined oil, and chana with photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were distributed among the poor through 80,000 ration shops in Uttar Pradesh today as part of the state's free ration scheme. Some packets also had the slogan - soch imandaar, kaam damdaar (Honest thought, solid work) - being used by the BJP for its campaign ahead of the state election.
20 days ago, the Centre had announced that it would extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for four months - from December 2021 to March 2022. The scheme, which began during the Covid pandemic last year, provides an extra 5 kg ration per person per month for free to all beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Packets of food grains with photos of PM, Yogi Adityanath were given to beneficiaries at ration shops
But with elections in the state just two months away, the government has gone a step further, saying it will provide each beneficiary of the Centre's free ration scheme an additional kilogram each of dal, salt, and chana.
Photos and videos from across Uttar Pradesh showed packets of the grains with photos of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister being handed out to beneficiaries at ration shops.
According to the state government, 15 crore beneficiaries will get these packets till March 2022. The timing of the drive is important, especially with the crucial state elections around the corner.
On Twitter, Yogi Adityanath's office on Saturday called the exercise a 'double ration' scheme - a play on its campaign slogan 'double engine ki sarkar' which refers to its governments at the Centre and in the states.
