Free Ration Scheme: The ‘PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana’ is the government’s most significant food security scheme. Its objective is to assist poor and needy households across the country by providing them with rations to meet their food-related requirements. Under this scheme, 5 kg of free food grains are provided monthly to each individual holding a ration card, as per the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.

Notably, the Central Government has decided to continue this initiative for another five years, effective from January 1, 2024. This ensures that millions of people across the nation continue to receive food rations. Let us explore the initiative in further detail.

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“>October 23, 2026

What is the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana?
The PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide food rations to the poor. The Central Government initiated this scheme to ensure that the poor and economically vulnerable sections of society did not face hardships during the pandemic. Under this system,the National Food Security Act provides eligible individualsd with a fixed quantity of food grains. The primary goal is to alleviate the financial burden related to food expenses for those who are economically disadvantaged.

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How much free ration is provided?
Under the PM Garib Kalyan scheme, 5 kg of free food grains are provided per person per month to ration cardholders. For instance, a family of four receives 20 kg of food grains, while a family of five receives 25 kg. The scheme provides rice and wheat to the families.

Who is eligible for the scheme?
Eligible ration cardholders covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) receive the benefits of the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. The beneficiaries are primarily categorised into two groups: the ‘Antyodaya Anna Yojana’ (AAY) beneficiaries and ‘Priority Households’ (PHH).

Where to lodge a complaint regarding the scheme
For information about the ‘PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana’, you can visit the Department of Food and Public Distribution’s website (https://dfpd.gov.in/) or the National Food Security Portal (https://nfsa.gov.in/). Furthermore, if an eligible ration cardholder does not receive the prescribed quantity of rations, is asked to pay for the ‘free’ rations, or faces any other issues related to the distribution of rations, a complaint can be lodged with the Department of Food and Supplies.