Welfare Schemes
Cabinet approves distribution of free food grain till December 2023
- The Cabinet approved the decision to make distribution of ration free for 81.3 crore poor for one year under National Food Security Act, 2013.
About NFSA, 2013
- The National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 was passed on July 5, 2013
- Up to 75% of the rural population, as well as 50% of the urban population, are legally entitled to receive subsidised food grains through the Targeted Public Distribution System
- Schemes such as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS), the Public Distribution System (PDS), and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) are included under the Act.
- The Act covers two-thirds of the entire population under two categories of beneficiaries:
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households
- Priority Households (PHH)
- The Act entitles 35 kg of food grains per AAY Household per month, whereas 5 Kg of foodgrain per PHH Person per month.
Note
- Meanwhile, the government decided not to extend the free ration scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).
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- PMGKAY was launched during the lockdown in April 2020, and was scheduled to end on December 31, 2022.
- Under PMGKAY, five kg of foodgrains were distributed for free for the poor were distributed for 28 months.
Public Awareness & General Administration
Winter Session 2022
- The Winter Session of Parliament adjourned four working days ahead of its schedule, making it the 8th consecutive session to be adjourned ahead of schedule in the current Lok Sabha.
- According to the statistics published by the voluntary organization PRS Legislative, the number of parliamentary session days has decreased by half since the 1950s and 1960s.
- The winter session 2022 has been held for 13 days only.
Highlights:
- Lok Sabha functioned for 88% of scheduled time (of actual sitting days), while Rajya Sabha functioned for 94%.
- Seven Bills were passed in the Session.
- Two of these were introduced in the same session. So far, in the 17th Lok Sabha, 72% of the Bills (94 of 130) have been introduced and passed in the same session.
Note
- Adjournment sine die means terminating a sitting of Parliament for an indefinite period, that is, when the House is adjourned without naming a day for re-assembly.
- The power lies with the presiding officer of the House
