Lok Sabha Question No. 5381 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Foodgrains under the NFSA
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Darshan Singh Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO . 5381

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25Tll MARCH, 2026

## FOOD(,RAINS UNDER THE NFSA

## t5381. SHRI DARSHAN SINGH CHOUDHARY:

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

- (a) : the number of beneficiary families/individuals  being provided foodgrains throughout the country under the National Food Security Act (NFS A)  at present, State-wise;
- (b) : the details of the quantity of  free foodgrains distributed under Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) during the last year and the total expenditure incurred thereon;
- (c): whether the joint  implementation  of NFSA  and PMIGKAY  has made a tangible improvement in the food and nutrition  security of the poor, deprived, migrant labourers and Antyodaya families and if so, the key indicators/details  thereoe and
- (d): whether the Government has put in place systems like Aadhaar seeding, e-PoS machines, One Nation  One Ration Card to check leakages, increase transparency and ensure timely  delivery  to the beneficiaries  under the above schemes and if  so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): A  statement indicating State-wise number of beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFS A) is at Annexure.
- (b):  During the year 2025, 4,95,49,736.45  MTs  of  foodgrains were distributed  to  the eligible beneficiaries under PMGKAY. During the last Financial Year 2024-25, an  amount of Rs.1,99,499.67/crore was  released  to Food  Corporation of India (FCI) and  Decentralized Procurement States as  food  subsidy under  the  Pradhan Manta  Garib  Kalyan  Anna  Yojana (PMGKAY) .
- (c): Distribution  of free of cost foodgrains under the PMGKAY removes the financial  burden of the poor beneficiaries. This strengthens the food security in terms of accessibility and availability  of food grains for the targeted population. The scheme also provides a unified institutional  mechanism across the country and remove difficulties  of the beneficiaries specially migrants under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC).

(d): Following modernization efforts of  Public Distribution System have been undertaken in  all States/UTs-

1. Ration cards/beneficiary's database have been completely digitized  (100%) in all States/UTs. 99.70/, of ration  cards have been Aadhar seeded
11. The transparency portal and online grievance redressal facility/Toll-free number have been implemented in all States/UTs.
3. Iii. Online allocation has been implemented in  all  States/UTs and supply chain has been computerized in  31 States/UTs (except UTs of  Chandigarh, Puducherry and Urban area of Dadra & Nagar Haveli which  have adopted  DBT  Cash Transfer scheme).
- IV. The nationwide portability of ration cards, popularly known as One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)  has been implemented in all  36 States/UTs, covering all  Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Anna Yoj ana (PMGKAY)  beneficiaries. As on date, more than 207 Crore portability transactions have been recorded under ONORC

More than 5.50 Lakh (99.8%) out of total 5.51 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by installing  ePoS devices for the distribution  of  foodgrains through Aadhaar biometric  authentication of beneficiaries.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO  IN  PART  (a)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARR,ED QUESTION NO. 5381 TO BE ANSWERED  ON  25.03.2026 REGARDING 'FOODGRAINS UNDER THE NFSA'.

State-wise number of beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) as on 01.03.2026.

| S.No.   | State Name                  | Beneficiary Count   |
|---------|-----------------------------|---------------------|
| 1       | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 6 1 ,334            |
| 2       | Andhra Pradesh              | 2,68,20,046         |
| 3       | Arunachal Pradesh           | 8,71 ,000           |
| 4       | Assam                       | 2,48,94,7ta         |
| 5       | Bihar                       | 8,48,63,63 1        |
| 6       | Chandigarh                  | 3,42,954            |
| 7       | Chhatti£m                   | 9 33                |
| 8       | Dadar & la                  | 2,63,375            |
| 9       | Delhi                       | 72,20,350           |
| 10      | Goa                         | 4,76,303            |
| 11      | Gujarat                     | 3,36,90 ,403        |
| 12      | Harvana                     | 1 ,26,49,000        |
| 13      | Himachal Pradesh            | 28,54,661           |
| 14      | Jammu and Kashmir           | 67,47, 172          |
| 15      | Jharkhand                   | 2,62,91 , 129       |
| 16      | Karnataka                   | 4,0 1 ,93,243       |
| 17      | Kerala                      | 1 ,50,65, 170       |
| 18      | Ladakh                      | 1 , 13,803          |
| 19      | Lakshadwee                  | 20 , 095            |
| 20      | Madhya Pradesh              | 5,38,07, 137        |
| 21      | MaharA                      | 6,81 ,42,337        |
| 22      | Manipur                     | 21, 10,378          |
| 23      | Meghala\,a                  | 21 ,36,855          |
| 24      | Mizoram                     | 7,06,000            |
| 25      | Nagaland                    | 11,35,570           |
| 26      | C)(lim                      | 3,23,78,964         |
| 27      | Puduchert                   | 6,34 ,000           |
| 28      | Punjab                      | 1 ,4 1 ,5 1 ,000    |
| 29      | Raj am                      | 4,39,80,284         |
| 30      | sikH                        | 3,76,580            |
| 31      | Tamil Nadu                  | 3,64,70,000         |
| 32      | Telangana                   | 1 ,90,80,02 1       |
| 33      | Tripura                     | 23,34 ,864          |
| 34      | Uttarakhand                 | 60,23 , 384         |
| 35      | Uttar Pradesh               | 14,71,47,428        |
| 36      | West Bengal                 | 5,99,75,666         |
|         | Total                       | 79,40,02,6]L4       |