Group of food secretaries formed on community kitchens scheme

Centre has constituted a "Group of Food Secretaries" from States along with Senior officers of Central Govt to deliberate on the framework of the Community Kitchens Scheme. The Group of Food Secretaries include Food Secretaries from 8 states of Kerala, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. The Food Secretary of Madhya Pradesh will be heading the Group. Addressing the all India Food Ministers meeting, union food, public distribution and consumer affairs minister Piyush Goyal affirmed that Community Kitchens scheme needs to be prepared- which is simple, transparent and in the benefit of people.  “We should have empathy towards poor of the country and should ensure collective resolve to run successful and transparent food programmes to ensure proper nutrition to children”.Goyal said on Thursday in New Delhi. 

Goyal stated that PMGKAY is probably the world’s largest food programme undertaken, during COVID period and  no one in the country was deprived of food grains.  He said it is the result of collective efforts   that no case of death due to starvation has been reported during the pandemic. During the pandemic, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has proved to be a boon. More than 80 crore beneficiaries have been provided free food grains ensuring #HarGharAnn,Goyal said. The minister said that the government will incur an expenditure of Rs.2.6 lakh crore in PMGKAY from Phase I-V, which will begin from Dec 1,Talking about the Model Community Kitchen Scheme, he said   Community Kitchen will be of the community, run by the community & for the welfare of the community.