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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
RAJYA SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 194
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10TH MARCH, 2026
OUTCOME OF EXTENDING PMGKAY BEYOND 2023
194 SMT. S. PHAN(,NON KONYAK:
Will the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution be pleased to state:
(a) : the outcome of the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib KaIyan Anna Yoj ana (PMGKAY)
from January 2024 onwards; and
(b): the reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure on food for beneficiary households?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION AND MINISTRY
OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
(SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)
(a) and (b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) AND (b) OF STARRED
QUESTION NO. 194 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 10.03.2026 IN THE FLAJYA SABHA.
(a) and (b): 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, the
Central Government distributed food grains free of cost to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
households and Priority Households (PHH) beneficiaries, for a period of one year, beginning from
1 st January 2023 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yoj ana (PMGKAY).
Keeping in view welfare of the beneficiaries and in order to strengthen the food security in
terms of accessibility, affordability and availability of food grains for the targeted population, and
to maintain uniformity across the States, the decision was taken to continue providing food grains,
free of cost, under PMGKAY for five years w.e.f 1 st January 2024.
Government of India has a commitment to the people of the nation - a dignified life by
ensuring them access to food and nutritional security through availability of adequate quantity of
quality food grains. The scheme also provides a unified institutional mechanism with uniform
price and quantity across the country and remove difficulties of the beneficiaries specially
migrants under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC).
The economic cost of 35 kg rice for an Antyodaya family comes to Rs.1461, while the cost
of 35 kg wheat comes to Rs.1043, which is being borne by the Central Government under
PMGKAY, and the foodgrains are provided completely free to the households. Thus, the monthly
savings of ration card holders are significant, on account of the free foodgrains.
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