Forget India, one-third of Americans receive food subsidies from government

The number of people receiving assistance has outstripped total number of people employed in the America's private sector

Nearly one-third of Americans receive subsidized food assistance from the government.

The number of people receiving the assistance has outstripped the total number of people employed in the America's private sector.

According to newsmax.com, the US Department of Agriculture estimates a total of 101 million people currently participate in at least one of the nation's 15 federal food programmes.

The assistance programme cost taxpayers 114 billion dollars 2012.

The food stamp programme represents the largest federally funded food assistance programme, with a record 46.7 million participants, costing $88.6 billion in 2012.

The next largest is the National School Lunch programme that provides 32 million students with low-cost or no-cost meals daily.

According to the report, a July 3 Inspector General's audit has revealed that there could be overlap in the food programmes offered by the USDA with some households and individuals participating in multiple programmes.