Lok Sabha Question No. 4600 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Exclusion of Beneficiaries under PMGKAY
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Sudama Prasad

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4600

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH AUGUST, 2025

## EXCLUSION OF BENEFICIARIES UNDER PMGKAY

## 4600. SHRI SUDAMA  PRASAD:

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

- (a) the details of  criteria being used to determine ineligibility of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)  as per the data shared by the Income Tax Department;
- (b) the details of beneficiaries  of the yojana along with  estimated number  of beneficiaries  likely  to be removed from  the scheme State/District-wise;
- (c) whether any measures have been taken by the Government to prevent wrongful exclusion of eligible beneficiaries and if  so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any grievance redressal mechanism has been made available  for those wrongly  classified as ineligible  under the income verification  and if  so, the details thereof along with  the alternative  measures in place to address the same;
- (e) whether the Government has constituted any committee to assess the impact on vulnerable  households under the exclusion process; and
- (f) if  so, the details and findings thereof including the action taken by the Government thereon?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a) to (f):  The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Alma Yojana (PMGKAY) is  governed as per provisions of the National  Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 .

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

Identification  of  beneficiaries  under the act 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.  Thus,  the  criteria for  identification of  beneficiaries  under  Priority Households Category may vary  from  State to  State depending upon Socio-Economic, demographic conditions of the State.

The Central Government issues advisories to all  the  States/Union Territories from  time  to time to identify all eligible and poor persons/ households including vulnerable Sections of the Society for inclusion under the NFS A.  States are undertaking updation of their beneficiary database so that bogus ration cards get deleted and better targeting of rightful  beneficiaries is ensured. Thus, deletion of  ineligible  beneficiaries and  addition of  eligible  beneficiaries under the Act  is  a contInuous  process.

Explicit  provisions are made under the National Food Security Act  for  redressal of grievances of  beneficiaries. The Act  provides that  every  State Government shall put  in  place an internal grievance redressal mechanism which may include call centres, help lines, designation of nodal officers, or such other mechanism as may be prescribed. The Act further provides for  a appointment/designation of  District  Grievance Redressal Officer  (DGRO)  for  expeditious and effective  redressal of  grievances of  the  aggrieved persons in  matters relating  to  distribution  of entitled  foodgrains and to  enforce the  entitlements under the  Act.  The Act  also  provides for constitution/designation of  a State Food Commission for the purpose of  monitoring and review  of implementation of  the Act.  The Commission either SIlo-moto or on the receipt of  complaints inquires into  violations of  entitlements under Chapter-II of  the Act  and hear appeal against the order of the D(3RO

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