Lok Sabha Question No. 2879 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: PMGKAY
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Naranbhai Chudasama

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

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2879

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17TH DECEMBER, 2025

## PMGKAY

## 2879. SHRI RAJESH NARANBHAI  CHUDASAMA:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION  be pleased to state:

- (a): the aims and objective behind launching of  Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and achievement made since its inception;
- (b): the number of beneficiaries who have benefitted from the yojana in the State of Gujarat ;
- (c): the  details of  the measures taken by  the Government to  ensure the benefits of PMGKAY reach all eligible families, particularly SC/ST/OBC; and
- (d): the details of the other steps taken by Government to ensure that the food provided under PM(]KAy meets nutritional  standards and is sufficient  for the beneficiaries?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan  Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was 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 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 and Priority  Households (PHH)  beneficiaries, beginning from 1 st January 2023 under the PMGKAY.  The period for distribution of free of cost foodgrains has been extended for five  years from  lst January, 2024, with  an estimated financial outlay of Rs. 11.80 lakh crore totally  to be borne by Central Government.

- (b): The scheme provides for coverage of 74.64% of the rural and 48.25% of the urban population in  the State of  Gujarat, for  receiving foodgrains free of  cost, which at Census 2011 comes to 382.85 lakh persons.

At  present, the State Government  of  Gujarat has identified  365.84 lakh  beneficiaries, which is 95.56% of total coverage.

(c): The PMGKAY  is operated under the joint  responsibility  of the Central and the State Governments. Under the joint  responsibility  of the Union and the States, the responsibility for identification of beneficiaries, allocation of foodgrains within the States/UTs, distribution of  foodgrains to  eligible  beneficiaries  under TPDS and supervision over and monitoring  of functioning  of Fair  Price  Shops (FPSs), etc. rest with  the concerned State/UT Government. The Central Government has issued advisory, from time to time, to all  the States/Union Territories  to  identify all  eligible  and poor  persons/ households including vulnerable Sections of  the  Society including  SC/ST/OBC for  inclusion under  the PMGKAY.

(d): in order to improve the nutritional standards in targeted beneficiaries, the Government has revised the nutritional  norms specified in  Schedule-II of  the Act,  vide notification dated 25.01.2023 .

Further, in order to improve  the level  of nutrition,  an advisory  has also been issued to all  the States/UTs to  procure millets and distribute them to  beneficiaries as per local consumption preferences and as per guidelines issued by the Central Government from time to trrne

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