Why in news?
The government extended the free foodgrain scheme under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for another year beginning in September 2025. The programme, launched during the COVID‑19 pandemic, continues to provide free cereals to hundreds of millions of poor households.
Key features
- Coverage: PMGKAY covers around 81 crore beneficiaries registered under the NFSA. Each eligible person receives 5 kg of rice or wheat per month free of cost.
- Launched in March 2020: Introduced as part of a pandemic relief package, the scheme has been extended multiple times to mitigate the effects of inflation and unemployment.
- Implementation: Distribution is carried out through fair price shops using biometric authentication. Beneficiaries must complete e‑KYC to continue receiving rations.
Challenges
- Fiscal burden: The scheme costs the exchequer over ₹2 lakh crore annually. Sustaining such expenditure limits the government’s fiscal space for other programmes.
- Identification and exclusion: Some genuinely needy families are left out due to outdated census data and documentation issues. Meanwhile, there are reports of ineligible households continuing to receive rations.
- Leakages and diversion: Despite digitisation, there are concerns about pilferage and diversion of grains. Monitoring and social audits remain weak in some states.
Significance
PMGKAY has prevented widespread hunger during crises and cushioned the poorest from price shocks. Going forward, experts suggest combining targeted food support with livelihood programmes, regularly updating beneficiary lists and strengthening nutrition diversification through pulses and millets.