Focus: GS II: Government schemes
Why in News?
The Centre has named its new free foodgrain scheme under the National Food Security Act, 2013, as ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)’.
PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
- PM has approved a new integrated food security scheme to provide free foodgrains for a year starting January 1, 2023 to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA)
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
- Primary Household (PHH)
Differences from previous scheme:
- Under the previous scheme, 81 crore NFSA beneficiaries were entitled to 5 kg of foodgrain per person per month at no cost, in addition to their monthly entitlements.
- However, they were required to pay a subsidized rate (Rs 3 per kg rice, Rs 2 per kg wheat and Rs 1 per kg coarse grains) to purchase the quantity for which they were entitled – 35 kg per Antyoday Anna Yojana Household and 5kg per person to a Priority Household in a month.
- In the new scheme, the government has done away with the subsided prices and is providing foodgrains free of cost for a year.
- The additional quantity provided during the Covid pandemic will not be provided to these beneficiaries.
- They will receive the quantity of foodgrains to which they are entitled under the NFSA.
Implementation strategy
- To effectively and uniformly implement the NFSA 2013, PMGKAY will subsume the two subsidy schemes of Department of Food & Public Distribution:
- Food Subsidy to FCI
- Food Subsidy for decentralized procurement states dealing with procurement, allocation, and delivery of free foodgrains to the states under NFSA.
