'Free ration' promise indicates 'growing economic distress', Congress targets PM on poll pitch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, November 4, announced that the Centre will extend the scheme providing free ration to 80 crore poor people of the country for the next five years.

The announcement was made by him while addressing a public rally in Chhattisgarh ahead of the state assembly elections.

However, Congress slammed the move saying that the decision to extend the free ration scheme was an indication of the “continuing high level of economic distress and growing inequalities.

"His latest announcement is an indication of the continuing high level of economic distress and growing inequalities. For the vast majority of Indians incomes have not grown in line with the sky-high prices of essential commodities," Ramesh said in a post on X.