Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, November 4, announced that the Central government will be extending the scheme providing free ration to 80 crore poor people of the country for the next five years. This announcement has been made by PM Modi while addressing a public rally in Durg, Chhattisgarh, ahead of the state assembly elections.

The announcement of extending the free ration scheme for the poor has amassed major attention and it is being seen as a significant political move by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Currently under the scheme, the beneficiaries receive food grains every month at a nominal price of ₹ 1-3 per kilogram. The monthly quantity of food grains has been defined as per the categories mandated under the provision of the NFSA Act.

The food security scheme, Pradhan Mantri Gariba Kalyan Anna Yojana, was launched in April 2020 and it was last extended in February 2023.

What is Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)?

According to the official site, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana or PM-GKAY has been introduced as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat envisioned by PM Modi. PM-GKAY aims to supply free food grains every month to poor people.

Under the PM-GKAY scheme, the Centre provides a total of 5kg of free food grains per month to the poor along with the subsidised ration costing ₹ 2-3 per kg that is provided under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). It is given to the families that fall under the Public Distribution System (PDS). However, the amount of food grains provided could vary depending on the categories of beneficiaries.

According to a PIB report, the total expenditure in five phases towards the food subsidy, intra-state movement and handling of grains has reached Rs 3.91 lakh crore. Phase-I and Phase-II of this scheme were operational from April to June 2020 and July to November 2020 respectively. Further, Phase III of the scheme was in operation from May to June 2021. Phase IV of the scheme during July-November, 2021 and Phase V is from December 2021 till March 2022.

In the latest phase, the Centre has combined the benefits of the PMGKAY scheme with the provisions of the NFSA Act.

Under the NFSA provisions, the beneficiaries under priority households receive 5 kg of food grains per person per month and 35 kg per family per month under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) at a subsidised price ranging from ₹ 1 to Rs 3 per kilogram for different types of food grains. Under the scheme rice, wheat and coarse cereals are supplied.

Eligibility for Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)

According to the official website, families belonging to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) categories are eligible for the PM-GKAY scheme.

PHH is meant to be identified by State Governments/Union Territory Administrations as per criteria evolved by them. Similarly, the AAY families are to be identified by States/UTs, as per the criteria prescribed by the Central Government.

Additionally, all primitive tribal households, landless agricultural labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans/craftsmen such as potters, tanners, slum dwellers, and persons earning their livelihood on a daily basis in the informal sector like porters, coolies, rickshaw pullers, hand cart pullers, and other similar categories in both rural and urban areas are also eligible for the scheme.

All the citizens are eligible who belong to Below Poverty Line families.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)

First Published:Nov 4, 2023 7:15 PM IST