(NDTV)
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).
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.
