Provided free foodgrains to 80 crore poor people; no one went hungry during pandemic, asserts FM Sitharaman

During her Budget speech on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government ensured that no one went hungry during the pandemic by providing free foodgrains to 80 crore poor people. In times of global challenges, G-20 presidency gives an opportunity to strengthen India's role in the global order, she added.

The government is implementing scheme to supply free foodgrains to poor under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) with expenditure of Rs 2 lakh crore from January 1, the finance minister said.

Agriculture and allied sector growth has been buoyant through the years on the back of the measures adopted by the government to augment crop and livestock productivity, returns to farmers through price support and by promoting crop diversification. Private investment in agriculture sector has increased by 9.3 per cent in FY21 (7 per cent in FY20).