**Policy Summary: Free Foodgrain Distribution Program - August 6, 2025**
This document summarizes Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2825, addressed to the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, concerning the free foodgrain distribution program in India, answered on August 6, 2025.
**Key Aspects:**
* **Inflation Control:** The government asserts that the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) supplements food requirements for up to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population. The year-on-year inflation rate based on the All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for June 2025 over June 2024 is provisionally reported as 1.06%. The food inflation in June 2025 is the lowest since January 2019.
* **Misuse:** The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has not received any information regarding the misuse of the free foodgrain distribution program.
* **International Aid:** Free foodgrains have been provided to various countries from the central pool on humanitarian grounds. A breakdown by year and recipient country is as follows:
* **2019-20:** DPR Korea (1,584 MT Wheat), Madagascar.
* **2020-21:** Afghanistan (75,000 MT Wheat), Madagascar (1,000 MT Rice), Comoros (1,000 MT Rice).
* **2021-22:** Timor Leste (2,000 MT Rice), Afghanistan (39,717 MT Wheat), Mozambique (500 MT Rice).
**Responding Minister:** Shrimati Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, Minister of State for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food Public Distribution.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution: The Indian government ministry responsible for consumer affairs, food, and public distribution.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the unstarred question was raised.
Shri Arun Govil: The Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question regarding free foodgrain distribution.
Shrimati Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya: The Minister of State for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution who provided the answer.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): A government scheme to supplement the food requirements of the rural and urban population.
All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI): An index used to measure the change in retail prices of food items consumed by a defined population group in a given area.
DPR Korea: Democratic People's Republic of Korea, also known as North Korea, a country that received free food grains.
Afghanistan: A country that received free food grains from the central pool on humanitarian grounds.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2825
TO BE ANSWERED ON 6TH AUGUST, 2025
FREE FOODGRAIN DISTRIBUTION
2825. SHRI ARUN GOVIL:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD AND PUBLIC
DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:
(a): whether the free foodgrain distribution to poor people in the country has been
able to control inflation in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b): whether the Government has received any information about misuse of the free
foodgrain distribution and if so, the details thereof; and
(c): the countries to which free foodgrain have been provided in addition to poor
people
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a): Government is implementing Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
(PMGKAY) which aims to supplement the food requirements of upto 75% of the rural
and 50(% of the urban population.
Year –on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for
the month of June, 2025 over June 2024 is (-) 1.06% (Provisional). The food inflation
in June 2025 is the lowest since January 2019.
(b): No, there is no such information.
(c): The year-wise list of countries to which free foodgrains have provided from
central pool on humanitarian ground during the last five years are provided in
Annexure-1
+cRieSc+e+cAnnexu re-1
Table: List of the countries to which free food grains were provided from central pool
on humanitarian ground during last five years.
SI Year Export Destination Exported
No
Wheat (Qty Rice (Qty
in MT) in MT)
2019-20 DPR Korea 1,584
Madagascar
2020-2 1 Afghanistan 75,000
Madagascar 1 ,000
Comoros
1 ,000
202 1 -22 Timor Leste 2,000
Afghanistan 39.717
Mozambique 500