17.91°C Vancouver

Jun 7, 2021 2:29 PM -

Free food grains to 80 crore people till Diwali, announces PM Modi

Share On
free-food-grains-to-80-crore-people-till-diwali-announces-pm-modi
Free food grains to 80 crore people till Diwali, announces PM Modi

The central government has decided to extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, till Diwali this year, the Prime Minister announced on Monday.

"Over 80 crore people in the country will receive free food grains now till Diwali under the scheme, which was launched last year during the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
During this pandemic, the government is with the poor. Over 80 crore of our population will get ration till November. Nobody should sleep hungry," PM Modi said today in his address to the nation.

"Last year, when we had to impose lockdown due to COVID-19, then under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, the country planned to give free ration to over 80 crore citizens in eight months. This year as well, due to the second wave, it was planned for May and June," the prime minister said.

The Prime Minister also announced a centralised vaccine drive in the country, where all Covid-19 vaccines will be procured by the Centre and given to States for free.

"25 per cent of vaccination work with states will now be handled by the Centre, it will be implemented in the coming two weeks. Both the States and Centre to work as per new guidelines in the coming two weeks. From June 21, the free vaccine will be available for people above 18 years," he said.

PM Modi said that people would have to follow protocols to defeat an 'invisible', 'form-changing' enemy like the coronavirus.

Speaking on India's vaccination coverage, he said: "If you look at the history of 50-60 years, you would notice that it used to take India decades to procure help from foreign countries. When the vaccine work had ended in foreign countries, even then vaccination could not start in our country. In 2014, India's vaccination coverage was around 60 percent. In our vision, this was a worrisome issue."

"The speed at which India's vaccination program was progressing, it would have taken 40 years to complete the target of vaccination coverage," he further said.

He also announced that the process of procuring COVID-19 vaccines from abroad has been expedited and that the trials of two vaccines for children are also underway.

The Prime Minister informed that research is being conducted for a nasal Covid vaccine in the country.

Latest news

shots-fired-at-sidhu-travel-ltd-in-surrey
BCAug 25, 2025

Shots fired at Sidhu Travel Ltd. in Surrey

Police are investigating after shots were fired at the Sidhu Travel Ltd office in York Centre, Surrey, early Tuesday morning. The Connect FM team visited the scene shortly after noon and observed the entrance door shattered, with police markers placed near the storefront. At the scene, the glass of the entrance door to the Sidhu Travel office was seen shattered. Surrey Police confirmed that they had received information about an attempted break-in or mischief at the business at approximately 9.30 this morning. Police arrived at the scene and investigated, finding that shots had been fired a
leblanc-set-to-meet-lutnick-in-washington-after-ottawa-drops-some-tariffs
CanadaAug 25, 2025

LeBlanc set to meet Lutnick in Washington after Ottawa drops some tariffs

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is set to meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington this week after Ottawa announced it would be lifting some retaliatory tariffs. LeBlanc's office says he will travel to the United States capital on Tuesday. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last Friday that Canada will drop some retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products to match American tariff exemptions for goods covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement on trade, called CUSMA. Canada's counter-tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles will remain. LeBlanc has sai
BCAug 25, 2025

North Vancouver RCMP is investigating an early morning shooting at a residence in North Vancouver

On August 24, 2025, police were alerted by a homeowner in the 900 block of Tollcross Road who reported hearing a loud bang and subsequently discovering bullet holes. North Vancouver RCMP frontline officers attended the scene and located evidence indicating that shots had been fired at the residence. Witnesses reported hearing shots fired at approximately 4:00 a.m. The residence was occupied at the time, fortunately, no one was injured.“This is an unsettling incident that understandably causes concern in the community,” said Corporal Mansoor Sahak, Media Relations Officer for the North Vanc
tall-timber-building-boosts-student-housing-at-bcits-burnaby-campus
BCAug 25, 2025

Tall Timber building boosts student housing at BCIT’s Burnaby campus

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has officially opened its new Tall Timber student housing residence at the Burnaby campus, expanding affordable on-campus housing options for students. “We’re excited to bring more affordable student housing to BCIT’s Burnaby campus for the first time in 40 years,” said Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. “This new facility will offer students more housing options steps away from their classes, reduce commute times and ease pressure on the local rental market. With better access to housing, student
BCAug 25, 2025

Langley RCMP: Catalytic converter thefts on the rise

The Langley RCMP is advising the public of a noticeable increase in catalytic converter thefts across the community in recent weeks. Catalytic converters are targeted because of the precious metals they contain and replacing a stolen one can be costly for vehicle owners. Thieves often target vehicles parked in driveways, unsecured lots, and on quiet streets, usually during the night or early morning hours, said Sergeant Zynal Sharoom of the Langley RCMP. Larger vehicles such as SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans are especially vulnerable due to their higher ground clearance. What you can do to prot

Related News