Good News! for Antodaya Ration Card holders. On November 04, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the Union government’s program, which provides 5 kilograms of free food grains each month to 80 crore Indians. Originally set to conclude this December, the scheme will now continue for an additional five years. Mr. Modi made this announcement during a political rally in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh. In this article, we are going to talk about the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in detail. I am certain that by the end of the article, there will be no doubt left regarding the scheme.
What is Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana?
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was introduced in 2020, as a pandemic relief measure, providing 5 kg of free food grains per beneficiary a month in addition to the 5 kg of subsidized food grains they were entitled to under the National Food Security Act.
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) is a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative aimed at supplying free food grains to migrants and the impoverished.
This program was executed in different phases:
- Phase-I and Phase-II operated from April to June 2020 and July to November 2020, respectively.
- Phase III took place from May to June 2021.
- Phase IV was active from July to November 2021,
- Phase V has been running from December 2021 to March 2022.
- Phase VI is expected to run from November 2023 – to November 2028
Under the PM-GKAY scheme, the government provides 5 kilograms of free food grains per month to the disadvantaged, which is in addition to the subsidized (priced at Rs 2-3 per kilogram) rations distributed under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to eligible families covered by the Public Distribution System (PDS). The type and quantity of food grains provided may vary.
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana 2023 Key Highlights | |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Launch Date | March 26, 2020 |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Official Website | Click Here |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Objective | To provide 5 kg of free food grains per beneficiary a month in addition to the 5 kg of subsidized food grains they were entitled to under the National Food Security Act. |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Beneficiaries | Families belonging to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) and more |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Budget | Rs 1.70 Lakh in 2020 |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Benefit | Rs 5kg of foodgrains |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana under which ministry | Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Helpline Number | 7839564626 |
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana In News | What’s New?
PM Modi has announced the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for the next 5 years. As stated above, Mr. Modi made this announcement during a political rally in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh.
In December 2022, as PMGKAY came to an end after multiple extensions, the Union Cabinet decided to make NFSA rations free for one year. That will now be extended further, the PM announced. “Today, I want to tell the poor brothers and sisters of the country from the land of Durg that I have decided that the BJP government will now extend the scheme of providing free ration to 80 crore poor people of the country for the next five years,” he said. The PM said that his government had taken 13.5 crore people out of poverty across the country and was empowering them.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Objective
- The prime objective of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is to provide 5 kg of foodgrains to the 80 crore Indians.
- These food grains will be provided to the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to eligible families covered by the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible beneficiaries for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) fall into two categories: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH).
- The criteria for identifying PHH beneficiaries are determined by State Governments and Union Territory Administrations according to their guidelines.
- AAY beneficiaries are identified by States and Union Territories based on criteria specified by the Central Government, which include:
- Households led by widows, terminally ill individuals, disabled persons, or those aged 60 years or older with no assured means of subsistence or societal support.
- Widows, terminally ill individuals, disabled persons, persons aged 60 years or older, single women, and single men with no family or societal support or assured means of subsistence.
- Primitive tribal households.
- Landless agricultural laborers, marginal farmers, and rural artisans/craftsmen like potters, tanners, weavers, blacksmiths, and carpenters.
- Residents of slum areas.
- People earn their livelihood on a daily basis in the informal sector, such as porters, coolies, rickshaw pullers, handcart pullers, fruit and flower vendors, snake charmers, rag pickers, cobblers, and destitute.
- Other similar categories are in both rural and urban areas.
- The scheme also covers all eligible Below Poverty Line families of HIV-positive individuals.
Who can make their Antodaya Ration Cards?
The eligibility criteria for the Antyodaya Ration Cards are below
- Applicants must not own any land.
- They should not possess a permanent or well-constructed house.
- Owning buffalo, bull, or a tractor-trolley disqualifies them.
- Applicants should not have a stable or fixed occupation.
- They should not be engaged in poultry or cow rearing.
- No involvement in businesses receiving government financial assistance.
- Lack of an electrical connection is a prerequisite.
These conditions make it evident that only the most economically disadvantaged households within a Gram Panchayat are eligible for Antyodaya ration cards.
Ineligibility conditions
- Families with at least one member paying income tax or having a combined annual income exceeding Rs. 3 lakh in urban areas and Rs. 2 lakh in rural areas are ineligible.
- Families owning a four-wheeler or tractor are not eligible.
- The presence of an air conditioner with a generator capacity of 5 kVA or more disqualifies them.
- Possession of an arms license is a disqualifying factor.
- Families owning a residential flat exceeding 100 sqm in urban areas or commercial space with a carpet area of 80 sqm or more, along with more than five acres of irrigated land in rural areas, are ineligible.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Documents Required
- Ration Card
- Aadhar Card (if seeded with Ration Card)
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Benefits
- Under PMGKAY, each family with a ration card receives 5 kilograms of foodgrains at no charge, in addition to the 5 kilograms of subsidized food grains available through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
- Wheat distribution is allocated to 6 States/Union Territories, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Gujarat, while rice is supplied to the other States/Union Territories.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Application Process (Offline)
Here is the complete offline application process for Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
- Individuals interested in availing of the scheme should visit their nearest Fair Price Shop along with their Ration Card.
- Beneficiaries have the option to provide either their ration card number or Aadhaar number when interacting with any Fair Price Shop dealer nationwide.
- Beneficiaries can also complete Aadhaar authentication by using their fingerprints or iris-based identification methods.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana FAQs
What is Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana?
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) is a foodgrain measure, providing 5 kg of free food grains per beneficiary a month in addition to the 5 kg of subsidized food grains they were entitled to under the National Food Security Act.
How much amount of foodgrains will be provided under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana?
A total of 5kg of foodgrains will be provided to the eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
Till what year the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is going to be extended?
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is going to be extended to 5 years. The scheme will be extended till 2028.
Who is the eligibility criteria for Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana?
This program is accessible to all qualified ration cardholders or recipients who are included within the scope of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
