The Mizoram government, under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), has distributed free ration to over 1.5 lakh families from April to July.

This was revealed by Mizoram food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister K Lalrinliana on the first day of the three-day Assembly session on Tuesday.

He was replying to a question by the lobe BJP legislator BJP legislator Dr BD Chakma.

He said the free ration was distributed to tackle the food crisis during the lockdown induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lalrinliana informed that under the PMGKY, a total of 1,55,558 families of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) were provided free ration by the Mizoram government for four months.

He further said that the government would also distribute free ration for another four months from August to November.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Mizoram hard. However, there is enough stock of rice as of now," he said.

He further informed that the Centre in March announced a relief package of Rs 170,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.

According to this scheme, beneficiaries will be given 5kg of rice and 1kg of lentils per person to tackle the economic impact of coronavirus induced lockdown on the poor.

In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended the scheme till the end of November this year.

According to an official of state food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department, the Centre had allocated more than 10,000 tonnes of rice to Mizoram to be distributed during COVID-19 period.

"There are over 1,29,000 PHH cardholders and over 25,900 AAY cardholders in Mizoram to avail the benefit," the official added.

"There are over 76,600 people who availed rice through ration cards from the PDS as AAY members and over 6.17 lakh people as PHH members," the official further said.

The official also added that thousands of migrant workers and state residents, who did not avail free rations, were also provided free rice during the lockdown.