Govt says 19.5 mn more beneficiaries can be added under Food Security Act

The Centre on Wednesday said that there is scope to add 1.95 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

Under the NFSA or food law, the Centre provides 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month free of cost to Priority Households (PHH) beneficiaries through ration shops. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households get 35 kg of free foodgrains per month.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya said the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) under the NFSA provides for coverage of up to 75 per cent of the rural and up to 50 per cent of the urban population for receiving free of cost foodgrains.

 

As per the Census 2011, the total beneficiaries come to about 81.35 crore.

The coverage under the PMGKAY is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy sections of society get their benefits.

"At present, against the intended coverage of 81.35 crore, the States/UTs have identified 79.40 crore persons, which is about 97.60 per cent of the intended coverage, i.e. 81.35 crore persons. Still, there is a scope of identification of 1.95 crore more beneficiaries under the PMGKAY," the minister said.

She said the Centre has asked all the States/Union Territories from time to time to identify all eligible and poor persons/ households, including vulnerable sections of society, for inclusion under the NFSA.

"States undertake updation 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," the minister said.

The food subsidy released by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under PMGKAY stood at nearly Rs 2 lakh crore for the 2024-25 fiscal.