The Centre has named its new free foodgrain scheme under the National Food Security Act, 2013, as ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).
The name of the new scheme is similar to that of the free foodgrain scheme implemented as part of the Centre’s Covid-19 package announced in 2020.
Till December 2022, the NFSA beneficiaries were getting their foodgrains entitlement at a highly subsidised rate of Re 1, Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg for coarse cereals, wheat and rice, respectively. Now, they will get it for free this year.
The central government will spend more than Rs 2 lakh crore in 2023 as food subsidy under the NFSA and other welfare schemes to remove the financial burden of the poor.