Lok Sabha Question No. 675 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Food Insecurity in Bundelkhand Region
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Narayandas Ahirwar

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

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 675

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23RD JULY, 2025

## FOOD INSECURITY IN BUNDELKHAND REGION

## 1675. SHRI NARAYANDAS AHIRWAR:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the situation of food insecurity in the Bundelkhand regIon;
- (b) if  so, the special measures taken in the districts  of  the said region during the last five years under  schemes for  distribution  of  foodgrains i.e.  Deen Dayal  Upadhayaya Antyodaya Yojana, National  Food Security Act  and Public Distribution System (PDS);  and
- (c) whether the  Government proposes to introduce any special 'food security package' or nutrition campaign  "Aahaar  Abhiyan'' for  the  said region  so as to  ensure timely and adequate nutritious food for the poor families there?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIM ATI  NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

(a) to (b): The Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kal)'an Anna Yojana (PMCIKAY) is  being successfully implemented in  all  the  States/tiTs including  Bundelkhand region,  aims  to supplement the food requirements of  upto 75% of  the rural and upto 50% of  the urban population, which at Census 201 ]  comes to 81 .35 crore persons. Under the PMGKAY, while Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)  households, which  constitute poorest of the poor are entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains, per household per rnonth, Priority  Households (PHII)  are entitled to  5 kg of foodgrains per person per month free of cost.

The  Central Government, in  order  to  remove the  financial burden of  the  poor beneficiaries and to  ensure nationwide unifonnity  and effective implementation of  the programme for support of  the poor, had decided to provide free of  cost food grains to beneficiaries, beginning from  lst  January 2023 under the  PMGKAY.  The period for distribution  of free of  cost foodgrains  has been extended for further  five  years w.e.f  1  st January 2024

Under the PMGKAY,  the coverage of beneficiaries is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy sections of the society  get its benefit.

Under the joint  responsibility of  the Central and State Government, the responsibility for  identifIcation of beneficiaries  and issuance  of their ration cards- rests with  the concerned State  Government. The Central Government issues  advisories to all the States/Union Ferritories from time to time to identify all eligible and poor persons/ households including vulnerable  Sections of  the  Society  for  inclusion  under  the  NFSA.  States are undertaking updation of their beneficiary database so that ineligible ration cards get deleted and better targeting of rightful  beneficiaries is ensured.

(c): At  present, there is  no proposal  for  special food  package under  consideration of Department of Food & Public Distribution,  Government of India for the said region.

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