New Delhi: In a move to replenish poor households with supplies of subsidised food amid a worsening coronavirus outbreak, the Centre on Wednesday allowed families to lift six months of grains in one go. Food minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that 75 crore beneficiary households under the public distribution scheme will be able to withdraw half a year’s rations, or 30 kg of grain per person.

Under the National Food Security Act, 2013, priority households receive five kg grains per person per month at a heavily subsidised price of ₹1-3 per kg.

The move to allow poor households advance rations came amid reports of panic purchase of essential items by families in several parts of the country. Households are stocking up fearing supply shocks due to rising Covid-19 infections.

“We have enough foodgrains... We have asked state governments and union territories to distribute six month’s quota of grains to the poor in a go," union food minister Paswan told the Press Trust of India. The decision also came at a time when central granaries are overflowing with excess food stocks and a fresh harvest of winter wheat set to begin next month.

The minister added that an advisory has been issued by the centre to manage crowd at public distribution shops in view of the Covid-19 outbreak. Paswan further said some states are already allowing beneficiaries to lift grains for two months.

The ministry’s move is precautionary—food stocks will not only prevent a spike in food prices amid panic buying but also ensure rural families have enough to survive as day jobs may be hard to come by in the coming months.

According to the food ministry, India is sitting on an excess stock of 43.5 million tonnes, comprising of 27 million tonnes of rice and 16 million tonnes of wheat. In addition, farmers in India are forecast to harvest a record 106 million tonnes of wheat this year which is likely to put pressure on existing storage facilities.

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