Parliament Question: Expansion of PMGKAY

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2776 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5TH AUGUST, 2026 EXPANSION OF PM(,KAY 2776 SMT. DELKAR KALABEN MOHANBHAI: Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state: (a) the details of the expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) across the country during the last three years till the current year; (b) whether the implementation of the scheme has resulted in a reduction in food expenditure for beneficiary families; (c) if so, the details of the improvements made in food consumption variety and calorie intake; (d) the details of the role played by the scheme in maintaining domestic food security during time 1 of inflation; and (e) the indicators in this regard with respect to Dadra and Nagar Haveli, district and categorywis,e? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA) (a) to (e): The Central Government, in order to remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries arId to ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFS A) for support of the poor, distributed food grains free of cost to Antyodaya Anna Yoj ana (AAY) households & Priority Households (PHH) beneficiaries, for one year from lst January 2023 under the PMGKAY. The period of distribution of free-of-cost foodgrains has been extended for a further five years w.e.f 1 st January 2024 with an estimated financial outlay of Rs. 11.80 lakh crore totally to be borne by the Central Government. The PMGKAY is being successfully implemented in all the States/UTs. PMGKAY aims to supplement the food requirements of upto 75% of the rural and upto 50% of the urban population, which at Census 201 1 comes to 81.35 crore persons.Under the PMGKAY, foodgrains are distributed to the identified beneficiaries wherein the term “foodgrains” is defined as rice, wheat or coarse grains or any combination thereof conforming to such quality norms as may be determined, by order, by the Central Government from time to time. Under the PMGKAY, free of cost foodgrains are distributed to the identified beneficiaries, resulting in significant monthly savings of ration card holders, on account of the free foodgrains. The PMGKAY is being implemented in the urban areas of the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode, under which cash equivalent of subsidy is being transferred directly into the Bank accounts of eligible households to enable them to purchase foodgrains from the open market ###88