Free foodgrains will be provided to about 81.35 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for one year from January 1, 2023, Union minister Piyush Goyal announced on Friday.
To ensure the historic decision, the Central government has decided to spend more than Rs 2 lakh crore in this period as food subsidy under NFSA and other welfare schemes, to remove the financial burden of the poor and the poorest of the poor, Goyal, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Commerce & Industry and Textiles, said while addressing media persons after the Cabinet meeting.
Goyal said five kg food grains per person to Priority Households (PHH) beneficiaries and 35 kg per household to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries (poorest of the poor) will be provided free of cost for next one year.
Under NFSA, subsidized food grains was distributed at Rs 3 per kg for rice, Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 1 per kg coarse grains to beneficiaries.
The cabinet has decided that the beneficiaries will now receive the foodgrains free of cost, Goyal said.
During COVID period, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for 28 months, free distribution of foodgrains was done under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), Goyal added.
