Lok Sabha Question No. 2965 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: Ration for BPL Families
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Ramprit Mandal, Shri Kaushalendra Kumar, Shri Giridhari Yadav, Shri Dinesh Chandra Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2965 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6Tll AUGUST, 2025

## RATION  FOR BPL FAMILIES

2965. SHRI RAMPRIT MANDAL:

SHRI KAtJSHALENDRA KUMAR:

SHRI GIRIDHARI YAD AV:

SHRI DINESH CHANDRA YADAV:

Will the Minister of CONSUIVIER  AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

be pleased to state:

- (a): whether there is a provision to authorise solely Below Poverty Line (BPL) families to ration through ration cards issued by the Government;
- (b): the quantum  of ration currently being provided to BPL families through ration cards along with the price fixed for the separate items provided through ration cards; and
- (c): the details of the benefits provided to the common man of the country through One Nation One Ration Card?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The National Food Security Act,  2013 (NFSA), being implemented in  all  the States/UTs, on an all  India  basis, 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 beneficiaries. The  Coverage under the  Act  is  substantially high  to  ensure that  all  the vulnerable  and needy sections of the society get its benefit.

Identification  of  beneficiaries under the NFSA  is under two  categories- households covered under Antyodaya Anna  Yojana (AAY) to  the  extent specified by  the  Central Government and the remaining households as priority  households to be identified by the State Governments/ Union Territories (UT) Administrations  as per criteria evolved by them, within the coverage determined for the State/UT. There is no BPL category under the Act.

(b): Under the Act,  while Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)  households, which constitute poorest  of the poor are entitled to 35 kg of  foodgrains, per Household per month, Priority Households (PHH)  are entitled  to 5 kg offoodgrains 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

(c): The nationwide portability of  ration cards is popularly known as One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) feature. Through this technology driven reform, around 80 Crore PMGKAY beneficiaries are empowered to lift their entitled foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their  choice, anywhere in the country, by using their same existing ration card with  biometric  authentication on an electronic Point of  Sale (ePoS) device. The family  back home can also lift  the part of the PMGKAY  foodgrains in the home State/UT on the same ration card. ONe)RC feature is enabled in all 36 States/UTs, across the country, covering  all 100% PN4GKAY beneficiaries

R +: R+e+c +: