**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer given in Lok Sabha regarding the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY). The answer provides details on the extension of PMGKAY from January 2024. This scheme aims to supplement food requirements and has been extended for five years from January 1st, 2024.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PMGKAY Overview:**
* The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) aims to supplement the food requirements of up to 75% of the rural and up to 50% of the urban population, which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crore persons.
* PMGKAY is being implemented in all States/UTs.
* **Beneficiary Entitlements:**
* AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) households, constituting the poorest, are entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains per household per month.
* PHH (Priority Households) beneficiaries are entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month free of cost.
* "Foodgrains" are defined as rice, wheat, or coarse grains (or combinations thereof), conforming to quality norms set by the Central Government.
* **Extension Details:**
* Free food grains are provided to AAY and PHH beneficiaries under PMGKAY.
* The distribution of free foodgrains has been extended for five years from January 1st, 2024.
* The estimated financial outlay for the extension is Rs. 11.80 lakh crore, to be borne by the Central Government.
**Impact Analysis**
**AAY Households**
* **Impact:** Continued access to 35 kg of free foodgrains per household per month, supplementing their food requirements.
* **Action Required:** No specific action required, continuation of receiving the entitled foodgrains.
**PHH Beneficiaries**
* **Impact:** Continued access to 5 kg of free foodgrains per person per month, contributing to household food security.
* **Action Required:** No specific action required, continuation of receiving the entitled foodgrains.
**Central Government**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the financial outlay of Rs. 11.80 lakh crore for the PMGKAY extension.
* **Action Required:** Ensure the continued effective implementation and funding of the PMGKAY scheme.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): A scheme to supplement food requirements, providing free food grains to AAY and PHH beneficiaries.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution: The ministry responsible for the PMGKAY scheme and food distribution.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): A scheme providing food grains to the poorest of the poor households.
Priority Households (PHH): Households identified as priority beneficiaries under the food security program.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 721
TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH FEBRUARY, 2026
EXTENSION OF PMGKAY
f 721. SHRI AMAR SHARADRAO KALE:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
be pleased to state:
(a): the details of the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)
from January 2024;
(b): whether there has been a reduction in food expenditure for beneficiary households as a
result of the said Scheme;
(C): the details of the improvement in dietary diversity and caloric intake; and
(d): the role played by the Scheme in stabilising household food security during the period of
inflation and the State and category-wise indicator details in this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a) to (d): The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) being implemented in all
the States/UTs aims to supplement the food requirements of upto 75% of the rural and upto 50% of
the urban population, which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crore persons.
Under the PMGKAY, while AAY households, which constitute poorest of the poor are
entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains, per household per month, PHH beneficiaries are entitled to 5 kg of
foodgrains per person per month free of cost.
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.
The Central Government, in order to remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries
and to ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of the programme for support of
the poor, had decided to provide food grains free of cost to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (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 further
five years w.e.f lst January 2024 with an estimated financial outlay of Rs. 11.80 lakh crore totally
to be borne by Central Government.
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