Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan said the government will deal strictly with black marketeers and hoarders.
In an exclusive interview to DD News, Mr. Paswan said that more than 30 lakh metric tonnes of food grains have been sent to States and Union Territories. He also said that during the lockdown announced to contain COVID-19, instructions have also been given to states to ensure food supply to all, including people without ration cards.
He said that the central government has enough grains to feed over 81 crore beneficiaries of the public distribution system (PDS) for nine months, expressing confidence that its granaries, expecting a boost from a “bumper” wheat crop, will have adequate stock for a much longer period.
With the government likely to extend the nation-wide lockdown till the month-end, the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution minister said that the transportation and distribution of food grains at an “unprecedented” scale has emerged as a “lifeline” during the crisis, with the poor being assured of their ration supply in time.
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