Lok Sabha Question No. 2833 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: FREE RATION TO POOR
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Anil Yeshwant Desai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2833

TO BE ANSWERED ON 6TH AUGUST, 2025

## FREE RATION TO POOR

## 2833.  Shri  Ann  Yeshwant Desai:

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

- (a): whether it is a fact that Government is extending free ration facilities  to the poor who are not in a position to buy it;
- (b): if  so, the details along with the quantity of the free ration distributed  to the poor during last five years;
- (c): whether the country's food production is sufficient to help these poor people; and
- (d): if  so, the details of the expenditure incurred for the free ration facilities  during the last ten years?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI  NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The  Government is  successfully implementing the  Pradhan iVlantri Garib  Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)  in all the States/tiTs, which provides for coverage of upto 75% of rural population and upto 50% of urban population,  which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crore.  Coverage under the PMGKAY  is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy sections of the society get its benefit.

At  present, against the intended coverage of  81.35 crore, 80.56 crore beneficiaries  are identified by the States/UTs under the Act for receiving foodgrains free of cost.

- (b): The Quantity offoodgrains distributed in the last five years is as follows:
- (c): Sufficient stocks are available in the Central Pool to  meet the requirement of foodgrains under the P]VIGKAY.
- (d): A statement showing the food subsidy released since 2014-15 is at Annexure.

| Year   | Distributed quantity (in MT)   |
|--------|--------------------------------|
| 202 1  | 4,42,83,988                    |
| 2022   | 4,89,79,847                    |
| 2023   | 4,90,36,43 1                   |
| 2024   | 5,00,71,936                    |
| 20258  | 3,03,42,7 19                   |

SeSc +:+: SeR

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN  PART (d) OF THE LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2833 DUE  FOR ANSWER ON 06.08.2025 REGARDING 'FREE RATION TO POOR'.

Statement showing the food  subsidy released since 2014-15

(in crore)

| S.NO.   | Year      | Total Subsidy released   |
|---------|-----------|--------------------------|
| I       | 2014- 15  | 113171.16                |
| 2       | 2015-16   | 1349 19.00               |
| 3       | 2016-17   | 130672.96                |
| 4       | 2017-18   | 139981.69                |
| 5       | 2018-19   | 171127.49                |
| 6       | 20 19-20  | 1 52672,35               |
| 7       | 2020-21   | 541126.77                |
| 8       | 202 1 -22 | 288718.54                |
| 9       | 2022-23   | 272501.70                |
| 10      | 2023 -24  | 211393.85                |
| 11      | 2024-25   | 199500.00                |
| 12      | 2025-268  | 53404.99                 |