**Executive Summary**
This document is the response to Unstarred Question No. 1731 in the Lok Sabha, to be answered on December 10, 2025, concerning the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). It provides state-wise details on the number of beneficiaries, alternative authentication procedures for Fair Price Shops, grievances received, and FPS licenses cancelled. Annexures provide state-wise data on beneficiaries and complaints.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Beneficiaries:**
* Annexure I contains state-wise data on the number of elderly and disabled beneficiaries under AAY.
* Total ceiling of AAY households is 250.00 lakh.
* Coverage of AAY households as of 30.11.2025 is 237.00 lakh.
* **Authentication Procedures for Fair Price Shops (FPS):**
* All States/UTs were advised on 24/10/2017 to ensure that no genuine beneficiary is denied subsidized food grains due to biometric/Aadhaar authentication failures or technical reasons.
* **Grievances and FPS Licenses:**
* Annexure II shows the number of complaints received under TPDS during the last three years.
* TPDS is operated under the joint responsibility of Central and State/UT Governments.
* Operational responsibility, including issuance of licenses, supervision and monitoring of FPSs, rests with the concerned State/UT Government.
**Impact Analysis**
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the operational aspects of the TPDS, including issuance of licenses, supervision, and monitoring of Fair Price Shops. Required to ensure that no genuine beneficiary is denied subsidized food grains.
* **Action Required:** Review and address complaints related to TPDS as per the data in Annexure II. Ensure compliance with the advisory regarding biometric authentication failures.
**Fair Price Shop (FPS) Operators**
* **Impact:** Responsible for assisting elderly, disabled and remote beneficiaries who face biometric authentication failures.
* **Action Required:** Implement alternative, non-biometric and easily accessible authentication procedures as advised.
**Elderly, Disabled, and Remote Beneficiaries**
* **Impact:** Ensures access to subsidized foodgrains even when facing biometric authentication or physical access challenges.
* **Action Required:** If facing issues with biometric authentication, request alternative authentication methods at the Fair Price Shop.
Key Entities Referenced
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): A scheme to provide subsidized foodgrains to the poorest families.
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS): A system for distributing subsidized food and essential items to eligible households.
Fair Price Shop (FPS): Retail outlets authorized to distribute subsidized foodgrains under the TPDS.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1731
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10TH DECEMBER, 2025
ANTYOD AYA ANNA YOJAN A (AAY)
1731. SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be
pleased to state:
(a) the details and the number of elderly and disabled beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Anna
Yoj ana (AAY), State-wise;
(b) whether the Government proposes to mandate alternative, non-biometric and easily
accessible authentication procedures for Fair Price Shop (FPS) operators to assist elderly, disabled
and remote beneficiaries who face biometric authentication failures or are physically unable to visit
the FPS
(C) if so, the details thereof and the timeline for its implementation;
(d) the number of grievances received under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the
number of those grievances resolved during the last three financial years, State and year-wise; and
(e) the number of FPS licences cancelled during the last three financial years, State and year-
wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a): A statement showing the state-wise number of beneficiaries (including elderly and disabled
beneficiaries) under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is at Annexure I.
(b) & (c): All States/ UTs have been advised vide letter dated 24/10/2017 that no genuine
beneficiary/ household shall be denied from receiving entitled quota of subsidized foodgrains due
to failure of biometric/ Aadhaar authentication due to network/ connectivity/ linking related issues,
other technical reasons or poor biometrics of the beneficiary.
(d): A statement showing no. of complaints received under TPDS during the last three years is at
Annexure II.
(e): The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint responsibility of
the Central and the State/UT Governments. The operational responsibility including issuance of
licenses to Fair Price Shops (FPSs), supervision and monitoring of the functioning of Fair Price
Shops etc., rest with the concerned State/UT Government.
RSc kScScSeANNEXURE I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 1731 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 10.12.2025 REGARDING “ANTYODAYA
ANNA YOJAN A (AAY)”
State/UT wise number of beneficiaries under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
Ceiling of AAY HH (in 1 Coverage of AAY HH
SI. No. States/ UTs lakh) ! as on 30.11.2025
(in lakh)
1 Andhra Pradesh 9.09 9.08
0.38
2 Arunachal Pradesh 0.38
7.04
3 Assam 6.73
25.01
4 Bihar 25.01
7.19
5 Chhattisgarh 7.19
1.57
6 Delhi 0.69
0.18
7 Goa 0.12
8.13
8 Gujarat 7.77
3.03
9 Haryana 2.68
1.97
10 Himachal Pradesh 1.65
9.18
11 Jharkhand 8.94
12.00
12 Karnataka 10.97
5.96
13 Kerala 5.96
15.82
14 Madhya Pradesh 14.63
25.05
15 Maharashtra 25.05
0.64
16 Manipur 0.64
0.70
17 Meghalaya 0.70
0.26
18 Mizoram 0.26
0.48
19 Nagaland 0.48
12.65
20 Odisha 12.53
1.79
21 Punjab 1.799.32
22 Rajasthan 6.29
0.17
23 Sikkim 0.17
18.65
24 Tamil Nadu 18.64
6.49
25 Telangana 5.67
1.13
26 Tripura 1.09
40.95
27 Uttar Pradesh 40.90
1.91
28 Uttarakhand 1.84
19.86
29 West Bengal 16.42
30 A&N 0.11 0.04
31 DNH&DD 0.08 0.05
0.01
32 Lakshadweep 0.01
0.09
33 Chandigarh (DBT) 0.00
0.32
34 Puduchery (DBT) 0.25
2.76
35 J&K 2.33
0.06
36 Ladakh 0.06
Total 250.00 237.00ANNEXURE ll
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN PART (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 1731 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 10.12.2025 REGARDING “ANTYODAYA
ANNA YOJANA (AAY)”
Complaints on TPDS received From Individuals, Organizations & through Media Reports
Etc. during the last three years
S. No. State/ UT 2022 2023 2024
1 Andhra Pradesh 25 41 39
2 Arunachal Pradesh 10
3 Assam 13 48 178
4 Bihar 224 380 1720
5 Chhattisgarh 39 35 69
6 Delhi 212 256 346
7 Goa 3 2
8 Gujarat 147 82 182
9 Haryana 87 347 240
10 Himachal Pradesh 6 9 8
11 J&K 19 24 57
12 Jharkhand 236 348 738
13 Karnataka 38 85 126
14 Kerala 7 6 8
Madhya Pradesh 101 187 157
Maharashtra 118 181 376
17 Manipur 2
18 Meghalaya 2 5
19 Mizoram
20 Nagaland
21 Odisha 44 66 217
22 Punjab 31 86 115
23 Rajasthan 72 93 121
24 Sikkim
25 Tamil Nadu 55 103 151
26 Telangana 10 40 36
27 Tripura 5 17 5
28 Uttarakhand 53 54 6829 Uttar Pradesh 1614 2201
30 West Bengal 169 160
31 A&N Island
32 Chandigarh
33 D& N Haveli and Darnan & Diu
34 Lakshadweep
35 Puducherry
36 Ladakh
TOTAL