810 mn dependent on free foodgrains from govt due to inflation: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati Wednesday said neither the freedom fighters nor the architect of the Indian Constitution Bhimrao Ambedkar would have thought that more than 81 crore poor people of the country would be dependent on free foodgrains from government as she slammed the Centre for rising inflation.

Paying tributes to Ambedkar on his death anniversary, she said the condition of the poor, labourers, farmers, small businessmen, and the middle class could have been improved considerably had the Constitution been implemented in the right manner.

"Immense reverence to Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, the messiah of the poor, labourers, Dalits, tribals and backward classes of the 140-crore strong India and the architect of the country's humanitarian and egalitarian constitution, on his death anniversary," Mayawati said in a post on X.

On the occasion, she, however, took potshots at the Union government, saying neither the freedom fighters nor Ambedkar could have thought of the plight of more than 81 crore poor people of the country dependent on government ration to feed themselves. "This situation is very sad."

"Due to lack of livelihood in the country and the onslaught of inflation, the poor, labourers, small businessmen, farmers and middle class are in distress. Expenditure has overshot income. But their condition could have been improved considerably with the right implementation of the Constitution," the BSP chief said.

Last month, the Central government extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) scheme to provide 5 kilograms of free foodgrains per month to 81.35 crore poor for another five years.

PMGKAY was introduced in 2020 as a relief measure for the poor during the Covid pandemic. Under this, 5 kg of free food grains are being provided to every beneficiary each month in addition to 5 kg of subsidised food grain under the National Food Security Act.