INTRODUCTION
PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna (PM-GKAY) is a scheme as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat to provide free food grains to the poor and migrants. Govt. of India launched Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna in 2016 under the Taxation Laws Act 2016. The primary objective of PM Garib Kalyan Yojna was to confirm that tax thieves declare unaccounted money and avoid criminal prosecution and penalty. As a part of this scheme, the center provides 5 kg of free food grains per month to the poor and needy. The Center provides this in addition to subsidized ration (2-3Rs per Kg) under the National Food Security Act(NFSA) to families covered under the Public Distribution System(PDS). The government of India introduced PM Garib Kalyan Yojna as part of efforts to minimize the hardship faced by the poor and needy people during times of crisis like the COVID-19 Pandemic.
MAJOR COMPONENTS OF PM GARIB KALYAN YOJNA:-
The PM Garib Kalyan Yojna comprises several Govt. initiatives correspondingly formulated to provide holistic support to the needy.
The following are the major components;
1. DIRECT BENEFIT TRANSFER(DBT): The government provides direct monetary assistance to the beneficiary through Direct Benefit Transfer. Under this Government provides direct cash transfers of 2000 to each eligible family. This makes sure that money reaches ultimately to right hand without any middleman. Removing middlemen thereby reduces delay and corruption. For example, women with Jan Dhan accounts receive money directly in their accounts without any reduction or delay.
2. MNREGA(Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act): The MNREGA is an employment program that guarantees 100 days of wage employment per year to rural families. Pradhan Mantri Gramin Anna yojna thereby nourishes MNREGA by ensuring more job opportunities and increasing wages. By this, the scheme strengthens rural families to earn a livelihood and consequently contribute to rural development.
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3. PRADHAN MANTRI UJJWALA YOJNA(PMUY): PMUY is a major component of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Kalyan Yojna, through which the Government provides free LPG connection to poor families. The identified families get the LPG cylinders for a specific period. By providing LPG connections The Government thereby makes sure that families have access to clean cooking fuel reducing pollution and health betterment.
4. FREE FOOD GRAINS DISTRIBUTION: PMGKY distributes free food grains to address the issue of food security. Under this scheme, identified families get 5 kg of wheat or rice per person per month, and also scheme provides 1 kg of pulses for each family. This program makes sure that no one sleeps without food and enjoy and healthy lifestyle.
5.EMPLOYEES’ PROVIDENT FUND(EPF) SUPPORT: Government contributes both the employers’ and employee’s share to EPF account for a specified period for the benefit of employees working in small and medium enterprises. This makes the individual financially free ensuring the employees’ saving for their future.
6.INSURANCE FOR HEALTH WORKERS: The scheme gives an insurance cover of Rs 50Lakh to health workers, understanding their service to society during COVID. This component of PMGKY facilitate the families of health workers who may face challenges and problems performing their duties.
MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF PM GARIB KALYAN YOJNA:
1. Food Security: The scheme makes sure that no one sleeps hungry, by providing free food grains to the poor.
2. Healthcare Assistance: Provide medical insurance and also strengthen healthcare facilities to support the poor during any medical emergency.
3. Financial Support: Provide Direct monetary help to the poor to help them face with money problem.
4. Social Security: Provide social security benefits to safeguard the interests of unprotected populations.
5. Employment Generation: Create Job opportunities to support people to earn and feed their family, especially in rural areas.
FEATURES OF PM GARIB KALYAN YOJNA:-
1.The scheme facilitates with 5Kg of free wheat or rice to more than 90Crore beneficiaries. Moreover each eligible family get 1 Kg of free whole chana per month.
2.The PMGKY gives employment opportunity to poor class of people to uplift their lifestyle. As a matter of fact Government has spent 50,000 crores till now for this purpose.
3.The scheme gives free gas cylinders to BPL(Below Poverty line) families for three months as announced by Finance minister of India.
4.Under this scheme , the beneficiary has to pay 50% of the untaxed amount.
5.The PM garib Kalyan Yojna Provide supports 25lakhs health workers.
6.The scheme provides Rs 50Lakhs insurance coverage to frontline workers.
7.The scheme gives an opportunity to invest 25% of the undisclosed income in the PMGKY scheme. This can be correspondingly refunded without interest after 4 years.
8.In a confidential manner, the black money and undisclosed wealth can be declared. The scheme helps to avoid prosecution if the individual agrees topay 50% of the undisclosed amount. Undisclosed income may be in cash or in account such as a bank, post office etc.
ELIGIBILITY FOR PMGKY:-
Followings are the eligibility criteria for receiving benefits under PMGKY:
1.Families coming under BPL(Below Poverty Line).
2.State Government/Union territory administration identify Priority Households(PHH) based on criteria prepared by States/UTs.
3.Families eligible under Antyodaya Anna Yojna(AAY) by states/UTs based on criteria set by the central government.
POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PMGKY: –
1.Enhanced livelihood opportunities: The scheme emphasizes on livelihood creation activities, which can create jobs and reduce poverty.
2.Improved Infrastructure:The scheme focuses also on better roads, housing and sanitation which can ultimately improve holistic quality of life in rural areas.
3.Increased Social Security: With the implementation of scheme, stress is given to social security, which facilitates financial security to rural residents, particularly the elderly and unsafe populations.
4.Employement opportunities: Through MGNREGA, Government has provided employments to millions of rural families.
5.Improving health and well-being: The free distribution of LPG cylinders under PMUY and health insurance cover for health workers contributed to better health and well-being.
CHALLENGES and WAY FORWARDS:-
CHALLENGES:
1. Implementation issue- Because of bureaucratic delays and logistical issues, it is difficult to ensure the efficient delivery of benefits to intended beneficiaries.
2. Awareness- Many people in rural areas don’t know about the scheme and also how to apply for it.
3. Corruption and Loopholes: Corruption does not allow funds to reach the poor and needy, consequently these loopholes can diminish the effectiveness of the scheme.
4. Technology hurdles: Insufficient digital infrastructure in rural areas can decelerate the smooth execution of direct benefit transfer.
5. Resource constraints: Because of less manpower as well as limited financial resources, the progress of scheme is slowed down.
WAY FORWARD
1.Process alignment: Government should see the possibility of reducing red tapism and also simplify procedures to ensure more efficient and faster delivery of benefits.
2. Improve awareness: Educate potential beneficiaries about the scheme and parallelly launch an awareness campaign.
3. Strengthen Monitoring: Establish a good monitoring system to stop corruption and also prevent loopholes.
4. Improve digital infrastructure: To facilitate direct benefit transfer, invest in digital infrastructure in rural areas.
5. Adequate Resource allocation: To effectively implement and expand the scheme,and ensure sufficient financial as well as human resources.
CONCLUSION:-
In Conclusion, The PM Garib Kalyan Yojna (PM-GKY) is a Government initiative that took its real shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme mainly focused on people who were helpless and struggling financially due to lockdowns and job losses. The scheme offers extra food grains, free cooking gas refills direct fund transfers for low-income households, and financial support to farmers, women, and small businesses. It helped a large rural population to put food on their family tables, pay the bills, and avoid financial hardship. Though there are a few challenges in the way to this scheme, PM-GKY offered a helping hand during a difficult time. The scheme supported the most vulnerable in our society ie. Poor population especially living in rural areas.
Very informative.Keep it up.
Vishal
Hello sir
Nice article on PM garib kalyan Yojna.