Lok Sabha Question No. 2394 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-15
Subject: Discontinuation of PMGKAY
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Pinaki Misra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2394

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 15TH MARCH, 2023

## DISCONTINUATION OF PMGKAY

## 2394. SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC

- (a) the rationale behind discontinuation of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY);
- whether any stakeholder consultations were held before discontinuation of PMGKAY;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether any studies have been conducted to assess the impact of discontinuation of PMGKAY on food security of the poor beneficiaries;
- (e) if So, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- the details of  expenditure incurred by the Government on PMGKAY, phase-wise; and
- (g) the details of decrease in expenditure burden of the Government due to the closure of PMGKAY?

## ANSWE R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a) to (e): The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) had been launched with the specific purpose of ameliorating the hardships faced by the poor and needy due to economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the country: The allocation of free foodgrains, under PMGKAY was in addition to normal allocation done under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. Phase VII of PMGKAY was in operation upto 31.12.2022. A total quantity of approx: 1118 LMT foodgrains had been allocated under PMGKAY (Phase [-VII) during the period April, 2020 to December, 2022.

The Central Government; to remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries and to ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of NFSA, has decided to provide food grains free of cost to the beneficiaries under AAY households and PHH beneficiaries covered under NFSA, 2013, for a period of one year, beginning from

- Under the PMGKAY (Phase to VII), the entire expenditure towards food subsidy, intra-State movement & handling of foodgrains and fair price shop dealers' margin were borne by the Central Government without any sharing from StatesIUTs. Allocation under various phases of PMGKAY and Maximum financial Implications are as under :

| Phases                                |   Allocation of foodgrains (in Lakh MTs) | Maximum Financial implications (In Rs crores)   |
|---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| IPMGKAY-I (April-June, 2020)          |                                      120 | 44834                                           |
| PMGKAY-II (July-November, 2020)       |                                      201 |                                                 |
| PMGKAY-III (May & June, 2021)         |                                       80 | 26602                                           |
| PMGKAY-IV (July-November,             |                                      199 | 67266                                           |
| PMGKAY-V (December, 2021- March, 2022 |                                      159 | 53344                                           |
| PMGKAY-VI (April-September, [2022)    |                                      239 | 85838                                           |
| IPMGKAY-VII (October-December,        |                                      120 | 44762                                           |
| Total                                 |                                     1118 | 390997                                          |

Phase VII of PMGKAY over on 31.12.2022.Details of yearwise fund released under PMGKAY are as under : got

(In Rs Crore)

| Kear     | Fund released   |
|----------|-----------------|
|          | 1,02,025.09     |
| 2021-22  | 1,19,096.01     |
| p2022-23 | 90,265.54       |
| Total    | 3,11,386.64     |