New Delhi, May 21 (IANS): The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the scheme to provide foodgrains free of cost to the migrants and stranded persons under the provision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat package for two months.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for allocation of foodgrains from Central Pool to approximately eight crore migrants/stranded migrants at 5 kg per person per month (May and June, 2020) for two months free of cost, said the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in a statement.

It would entail an estimated food subsidy of about Rs 2,982.27 crore. Further the expenditure towards intra-state transportation and handling charges and dealers' margin / additional dealer margin will account for about Rs 127.25 crore which will borne fully by the Centre, said the statement.

Accordingly, the total subsidy from the government of India is estimated at about Rs 3,109.52 crore.

The allocation will ease the hardships faced by migrants/stranded migrants due to economic disruption caused by COVID-19, said Food Ministry.

It should be noted that only those migrants will get the benefit of this scheme who are not covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and get benefit of free of cost distribution of foodgrains under PMGKAY.