Context:
The Union government is confident of maintaining the wheat-rice distribution ratio under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) in 2025–26, owing to record wheat procurement, which has already crossed 30 million tonnes (mt) in the current Rabi marketing season. This marks a crucial development ahead of key state elections, particularly in Bihar and West Bengal, where subsidised food aid remains a major political tool.
What is PM-GKAY?
Overview
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The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) is a food security welfare scheme launched in March 2020 as part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poor.
Key Features
- Objective: To ensure food security during the pandemic by providing free foodgrains to the poor.
- Coverage: All beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, which includes around 80 crore people.
- Benefit: An additional 5 kg of free wheat or rice per person per month over and above the subsidized NFSA quota.
- Mode of Delivery: Distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
- Portability: Enabled through One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) allowing migrant workers access across states.
Timeline and Funding
- Initial Phase: April to June 2020.
- Extended Till: September 2022 (in multiple phases).
- Total Expenditure: Approx. ₹3.91 lakh crore for all phases.
- Nodal Ministry: Initially under Ministry of Finance, now executed by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
Challenges and Concerns
- Outdated Census Base: Beneficiaries determined based on 2011 Census, leaving many food-insecure individuals uncovered.
- Fiscal Burden:
- High cost raises concerns about fiscal deficit (aimed to be reduced to 6.4% of GDP).
- Inflationary Pressures:
- Program impacts food inflation, especially in rice and wheat, which constitute about 10% of retail inflation.
- In 2022, India restricted wheat and rice exports due to erratic monsoons and falling yields.
- Sustainability:
- Logistics and grain procurement challenges increase as the scheme scales.
Related Government Initiatives
- National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- Integrated Scheme on Oilseeds, Pulses, Palm oil & Maize (ISOPOM)
- National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Mains
Q. What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India? (2021)
