States can lift PDS grains for three months on credit: Finance Minister

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday allowed states and union territories to lift three months’ supply of food grain from the Food Corporation of India on credit to ensure adequate supply of food grains to public.

The finance ministry approved a proposal in this regard by the food and public distribution department.

The government said the move will ensure states do not face any crash constraint in distributing food to those in need even as a number of states and UTs have announced lockdowns to differing extents as part of their measures to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.


In addition to this, the government has instructed all ministries and departments to treat contractual, casual and outsourced staff as ‘on duty’ even as they stay away from work due to various lockdown measures in place.

Under normal circumstances, staying at home would result in deduction of wages for staff such as those in housekeeping. But to avoid undue hardships under the prevailing extraordinary circumstances they should be treated as on duty and paid wages accordingly, the government said.

The instructions, which also apply to all attached or subordinate offices and autonomous or statutory bodies of the government, will be effective till April 30, indicating the lockdown could last longer than expected.

These staff usually rely on public transport and rickshaw or taxi services, which are under varying degrees of lockdown, thereby restricting their travel and ensuring they stay at home.

The steps were taken to effect social distancing and isolation in order to contain the spread of the Covid-19.