Lok Sabha Question No. 3217 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-11
Subject: National Food Security Act
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Khalilur Rahaman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3217

TO BE ANSWERED ON lITll  MARCH, 2026

## NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT

## 3217. SHRI KHALILUR  FLAHAMAN:

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

- (a): the details and the number of families covered under the National Food Security Act in the country, State-wise; and
- (b): whether there is  an increase in  the  number of  beneficiaries  compared to  the  last three years and if  so, the details thereof along with the cost to the exchequer during the last three financial years?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a) &  (b):  The National Food Security Act, 2013, provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population, which at Census 2011 comes to  81.35 crore persons. A  statement indicating  the State/UT wise number of  beneficiaries presently covered under the Act  is at Annexure.

States are undertaking cleaning up of their beneficiary database so that ineligible 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 and beneficiaries  database is dynamic  in nature.

The Central Government reimburses the expenditure incurred by States, that have opted for Decentralized Procurement (DCP)  mode for  distribution  of  food-grains to  the  beneficiaries of Central Schemes as per allocation made by Government of India. Further, funds are also released by Food Corporation of  India (FCI) to the States for the quantum of food-grains handed over to them by States for  Central Pool. The difference between Economic Cost and Central Issue Price (CIP),  at which  foodgrains  are issued to  States, is reimbursed to  Food Corporation of  India  (FCI) and DCP States as food  subsidy. The food  subsidy released to DCP  States &  FCI  is made as per budgetary allocation made by Ministry  of  Finance (MoF).  State wise funds are not allocated by MoF

The details of food  subsidy released to FCI &  DCP States during the last 3 years is as follows:  -

| Financial Year   | FCI*      | DCP States   | 1(inRs. Crores)   |
|------------------|-----------|--------------|-------------------|
|                  | S         | Ms a         |                   |
| 2022-23          | mo        | m2           | m5                |
| 2023-24          | 139661.03 | m7           | m2                |
| 2024-25          | 129089.40 | m7           | 199499.67         |
| 025-268          | 129080.90 | n6           | 192535.13         |

In addition, funds are  also  released to  States/UTs under the centrally spons'ored  scheme 'Assistance to state agencies for intra  state movement of  foodgrains &  FPS Dealers margin under NFS A'  for  meeting the expenditure incurred by States/UTs for meeting expenditure on intra-state movement and handling of  foodgrains and Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers' margin for  foodgrains distributed to beneficiaries  under the Act. The details of funds released to States/UTs during the last 3 years is as follows:  -

| Financial Year   | FFund released (in crore)   |
|------------------|-----------------------------|
| 022-23           | m8                          |
| 2023-24          | m8                          |
| 2024-25          | B6                          |
| 025-26+          | Im                          |

kscscasese

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN  PART (a) &  (b) OF THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3217  DUE FOR  ANSWER ON 11.03.2026  REGARDING 'NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT'.

## State/UT wise number of beneficiaries under NFSA

| 1SIIF • IIr 0 •   | 11SII t a t e 1\11 a rr1 e           | ::: : ::::: = =:C= SiTE:TIes identified under   |
|-------------------|--------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 1                 | 1 ANDAMAN ANDNICOBAR ISLANDS         | 1 61,334                                        |
| 2                 | 1ANDHRA PRADESH                      | 2,68,20,046                                     |
| J                 | I ArtLlllrLL/l-lrLIJ rrtf\IJJEfID rl | 8,71,000                                        |
| 4                 | 1 ASSAM                              | 2,48,94,794                                     |
| 5                 | 1 BIHAR                              | 8,48,63,631                                     |
| 6                 | 1 CHANDIGARH                         | 3,42,954                                        |
| 7                 | 1 CHHATFISGARH                       | 1 ,99,73,683                                    |
| 8                 | 1DADAR & NAGARHAVELI & DAMAN & DIU   | 2,63,375                                        |
| 9                 | 1 DELHI                              | 72,20,350                                       |
| 10                | 1GOA                                 | 4,76,,303                                       |
| 11                | 1 GUJARAT                            | 3,36,90,403                                     |
| 12                | 1 HARYANA                            | 1 ,26,49,DOO                                    |
| 13                | 1HIMACHAL PRADESH                    | 28,54,66 1                                      |
| 14                | 1JAMMU AND KASHMIR                   | 67,47, 172                                      |
| 15                | 1 JHARKHAND                          | 2,62,91, 129                                    |
| 16                | 1 KARNATAKA                          | 4,01 ,93,243                                    |
| 17                | 1KERALA                              | 1 ,50,65,170                                    |
| 18                | 1LADAKH                              | 1 , 13,803                                      |
| 19                | 1 LAKSHADWEEP                        | 20 , 095                                        |
| 20                | 1MADHYA PRADESH                      | 5,38,07, 137                                    |
| 21                | 1MAHARASHTRA                         | 6,81 ,42,337                                    |

| 22   | MANIPUR       | 21,10,378    |
|------|---------------|--------------|
| 23   | MEGHALAYA     | 21,36,855    |
| 24   | MIZORAM       | 7,06,000     |
| 25   | NAC,ALAND     | 11,35,570    |
| 26   | ODISHA        | 3,23,78,964  |
| 27   | PUDUCHERRY    | 6,34,000     |
| 28   | PUNJAB        | 1,41,51,000  |
| 29   | RAJASTHAN     | 4,39,80,284  |
| 30   | SIKKIM        | 3,76,580     |
| 31   | TAMIL NADU    | 3,64,70,000  |
| 32   | TELANGANA     | 1 ,90,80,021 |
| 33   | TRIPURA       | 23,34,864    |
| 34   | UTrARAKHAND   | 60,23,384    |
| 35   | UTrAR PRADESH | 14,71,47,428 |
| 36   | WEST BENGAL   | 5,99,75,666  |
|      | Total         | 79,40,02,614 |