New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has decided to extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which aims to provide free foodgrains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013, for five years beginning January 1, 2024.
A decision to this effect was made by the Union Cabinet that met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. The move comes days after PM Modi recently announced the scheme’s extension for another five years at election rallies in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The extension of the PMGKAY, which was set to end this December, is significant in view of ongoing Assembly polls and Lok Sabha election next year.
An official statement said this is a historic decision that places the PMGKAY amongst the world’s biggest social welfare schemes aimed at ensuring food and nutrition security for 81.35 crore people at an estimated cost of Rs 11.80 lakh crore over five years.
“The decision reflects the strong commitment of Hon. PM Shri Narendra Modi towards efficient and targeted welfare through fulfilment of basic food and nutrition requirements of the population. Ensuring food security at this scale during Amrit Kaal would play a pivotal role in dedicating efforts towards building an aspirational and developed India,” said the statement.
Free foodgrains (rice, wheat and coarse grains/millets) under the PMGKAY for five years will strengthen food security and mitigate any financial hardship of the poor and vulnerable sections of the population, the statement said.
It will provide nationwide uniformity in the delivery of foodgrains free of cost in all states/Union territories through a network of over five lakh fair price shops under a common logo, the statement added.
It will also enable ease of living, in terms of allowing beneficiaries to lift free of cost foodgrains from any fair-price shop in the country under the One Nation One Ration Card initiative, the statement said.
Citing an example of the cost of the foodgrains being provided under the PMGAY, the statement said that the economic cost of 35 kg rice for an Antyodaya family comes to Rs 1,371, while the cost of 35 kg wheat comes to Rs 946, which the government is bearing under the PMGKAY and foodgrains are provided completely free to the families.
“Thus, the monthly savings of ration card holders are significant, on account of the free foodgrains,” the statement said.
The Centre launched the PMGKAY in April 2020 in the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19. Under the PMGKAY, an additional 5 kg of free foodgrains was provided to every person on top of their National Food Security Act (NFSA) entitlement of foodgrains at subsidised rates.
Under the NFSA, the Centre provides foodgrains to people – rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat Rs 2 per kg, and coarse grains Rs 1 per kg – at a subsidised rate. In December last year, the Centre merged the PMGKAY with the NFSA and decided to provide free foodgrains to beneficiaries under the NFSA, as per their entitlement, for a year beginning January 2023.
However, the Centre discontinued the additional quantity (5kg) which was being provided under the PMGKAY.
