'No need to give free food. Covid is over': Capitalmind CEO on extension of free ration scheme

Deepak Shenoy said that by extending the scheme, the government will be spending Rs 44,000 crore "for what is unnecessary".

Capitalmind founder and CEO Deepak Shenoy has responded to an announcement of extending the Centre's free ration scheme for three months due to the festive season a "bad decision". He added that because food on ration is available, there is no need to give out free food, especially because Covid is over.

"This is a bad decision. Rationed cheap food is available. There is no need to give free food, Covid is over," Deepak Shenoy tweeted. He was responding to a tweet by the leader of opposition in West Bengal, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari who thanked the Centre for extending the free ration scheme during the festive season.

"I'm sure that, this'll definitely make a lot of our fellow citizens smile with joy, in the festive season," he had tweeted.

This is a bad decision. Rationed cheap food is available. There is no need to give free food, Covid is over. https://t.co/EvvCEelpt7

— Deepak Shenoy (@deepakshenoy) September 28, 2022

Shenoy also said that with this, the government will be spending Rs 44,000 crore "for what is unnecessary".

Here's how Twitter users responded to the Capitalmind CEO's tweet.

No freebie can ever be pulled back.
This will continue at least till 2024. Major elections till then.

— Ronak Modi (@Ronak1112) September 28, 2022

Covid maybe over. Jobs are not back. People need to eat. Winter is coming.

— Ashok C (@AshokChandrans) September 28, 2022

Tamil nadu is giving free rice for more than 20 yrs now.. They never complained.

— Citizen (@itsCitizen) September 28, 2022

Covid maybe over. Jobs are not back. People need to eat. Winter is coming.

— Ashok C (@AshokChandrans) September 28, 2022

Ahead of assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the government on Wednesday extended by three months its programme to provide free rations to the poor at a cost of Rs 44,762 crore as it looked to ease pain from high inflation.

The scheme to provide 5 kg of wheat and rice free of cost to 80 crore poor every month, which was ending on Friday, will now run through December 31, 2022, I&B Minister Anurag Thakur said.

Read more: Deepak Shenoy calls reverting to old pension scheme 'a terrible decision'