The flagship scheme of the Central Government, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has benefitted nearly 14 crore people in Gujarat over the last four years. The central government has also reimbursed food subsidy of Rs 1,329 crore to the state of Gujarat in the last three years since FY2021-22. Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Smt. Nimuben Bambhaniya informed the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025, while replying a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Shri Parimal Nathwani. 

The minister informed that in Gujarat, 3.45 crore people were benefitted under PMGKAY in FY2021-22, while the number of beneficiaries were 3.44 crore in FY2022-23, 3.52 crore in FY2023-24 and 3.68 crore in FY2024-25 (as on February 28, 2025). Moreover, the Government of India also released Rs 694 crore to Gujarat as assistance to state agencies for meeting expenditure on intra state movement & handling of food grains and fair price shop dealers’ margin under PMGKAY during last three years since FY2021-22.

The Government of India has allocated total funds of Rs 9,69,614.09 crore for PMGKAY in the last four years and released Rs 67,53,77.7 to Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Rs. 2,94,236.39 to States participating in the Decentralized Procurement (DCP), as per the statement of the minister. 

Shri Nathwani wanted to know the details of the number of people benefitted under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana scheme and the amount of funds allocated for National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) during the last three years in the country. According to the statement of the minister, under PMGKAY up to 75% of rural population and up to 50% of urban population which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crores persons, is targeted to be covered for receiving free of cost food grains. At present, about 80.56 crore beneficiaries are covered under the Act, as per the statement.  

Minister also informed that food grains are made available by Food Corporation of India (FCI) to the States/UTs free of cost under the NFSA, for which food subsidy is released to FCI. Only in the case of states participating in the Decentralized Procurement (DCP), under which state government take responsibility of procurement of food grains and its distribution to the eligible households, that food subsidy is released directly to State Governments. Ministry of Finance allocates scheme-wise fund as a whole. There is no State-wise fund allocation for Food Subsidy, she said. The Central Government also provides Central assistance to States/UTs under the scheme “Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of food grains and FPS dealers’ margin under NFSA”.