PMGKY ( Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana )

PMGKY full form – the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016 (PMGKY) was initiated by the Narendra Modi-led Government of India in December 2016. It was launched as a follow-up to the Income Declaration Scheme. It had been launched earlier that year. The program, which is part of the Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act of 2016, allowed people to register unaccounted cash by paying a fine of 50% of the concealed revenue. A further 25% of the gain is paid in the scheme. It can further be refunded without interest within four years.

It was again brought into more moderations in 2020, with several more changes than before. To alleviate the economic effects of the coronavirus-induced lockdown on the vulnerable, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief scheme shortly after the lockdown was imposed on March 24.

The Union Government of India declared on June 1, 2021, that it had already extended the ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ for one year, effective April 24, 2021. The Central Government resurrected this insurance coverage for a one-year period in order to continue providing a safety net to the dependents of health workers assigned to care for COVID-19 patients.

PMGKY ( Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana )

Details

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) is a scheme as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat to supply free food grains to migrants and poor.
Phase-I and Phase-II of this scheme were operational from April to June, 2020 and July to November, 2020 respectively. Phase III of the scheme was operational from May to June, 2021. Phase-IV of the scheme during July-November, 2021 and Phase V from December 2021 till March, 2022 .
Under this scheme, the center provides 5kg of free food grains per month to the poor. This is in addition to the subsidized (Rs 2-3 per kg) ration provided under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to families covered under the Public Distribution System (PDS). The food grain and the amount may be variable.

Phase VI:- The PMGKAY scheme for Phase VI from April-September, 2022 would entail an estimated additional food subsidy of Rs. 80,000 Crore.

Salient Features of the Scheme

  • The Indian Union Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, announced on the 25th of March, 2020, an economic relief package of Rs.1,70,000 crore for the poor population and migrant workers.
  • This scheme is outlined to cover 80 crores of the rural population of the country.
  • The relief package includes food and components, which are divided into eight sections of the society. It is inclusive of pensioners, women, and the disabled.
  • It includes contributing to the poor families with pulses through this yojana.
  • The central government has claimed to distribute rice and wheat-based on each individual. In addition to the already existing rice distribution that had been allotted.
  • This scheme meant relief plans to help in the survival of the deadly situation of the country.

Eligibility for PMGKY

The persons eligible for relief under  the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana are as follows:

  • All families below the poverty line are eligible for the PMGKY scheme .
    • Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): These families are identified by the States/UTs. The criteria is formulated by the Central Government.
    • Priority Families (PHHs): These families are identified by the State Governments/UT Administrations. The criteria have been formulated by the States/UTs.
  • Families headed by the following persons are eligible for PM Garib Kalyan Yojana :
    • Widow
    • terminally ill person
    • disabled persons
    • Individuals aged 60 years and above
  • The following individuals who have no support from the family or society are eligible for PM Garib Kalyan Yojana :
    • Widows
    • terminally ill person
    • disabled persons
    • Individuals aged 60 years and above
    • Single woman or single man
  • All primitive tribal families are eligible.
  • Other individuals who are eligible for PMGKY are:-
    • landless agricultural labourer
    • Marginal Farmers
    • Rural Artisans/Craftsmen
    • Individuals in the informal sector
  • All HIV positive individuals who belong to families below the poverty line are eligible for the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana .

What are the benefits of PM Garib Kalyan Yojana?

  • All card holders get benefits under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana (PM Garib Kalyan Yojana in Hindi) .
  • Subsidy is also given to 80 crore people through PMGKY (PMGKY in Hindi) .
  • This scheme provides 5 kg extra ration to the beneficiaries.
  • Under this scheme, the beneficiary is given wheat at Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg.
  • PM Garib Kalyan Yojana will help in reducing the economic, health and food related crisis of the poor of India.

Specific Benefits of PMGKY for Different Sections

For Wage Workers

The wage workers who earn below the amount of 15,000 for a month in a business and have less than 100 employees will be paid 24% of their monthly wages into their Provident Funds account for three months.

For Farmers

Over eight crore farmers are said to benefit under the scheme with direct cash transfers. An installment of Rs.2000 is stated to be sent to these farmers in the first week of April.

For Women

The women of self-help groups under the Deen Dayal Yojana who were earlier eligible for similar loans up to Rs.10 Lakhs will be allocated with a collateral-free loan of Rs.20 Lakh. A total of 20 crore women holding Jan-Dhan Yojana accounts will get a payment of Rs. 500 for the next three months from the launch of the plan.

For MGNREGA Workers

Through this plan, the wages of MGNREGA employees were decided to be increased by Rs.2000 per worker. It eventually benefited five crores of Indian families.

For Organized Sectors

The Union finance minister also announced a hike in PF and the withdrawal limits for the organized sector. The scheme also brought forward a contribution to the employer and the employee who have less than 100 employees, where 90% of them earn lesser than ₹15,000 per month, the government would pay their EPF for three months.
For Construction WorkersThe yojana provided a fund of ₹31,000 crores to assist 3.5 crore registered workers to protect them against economic disruptions.

Documents Required to Apply for PM Garib Kalyan Yojana

  • Ration Card
  • Aadhar Card (if seeded with Ration Card)

How to apply for PMGKY Scheme?

The PMGKY application process is very simple. An applicant just has to open a Jan Dhan Account in any bank that is authorized by the Reserve Bank of India. Next, the applicant will have to produce some required income documents. Once these documents are screened and verified, the applicant will be confirmed to be eligible to receive the benefits of the scheme.

FAQs

Who are eligible for the scheme?

This scheme can be availed by to all eligible ration cardholders or beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.

How long is the PMGKY insurance policy valid?

The insurance is valid for three months from the 30th of March.