The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) is a flagship scheme under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, launched by the Ministry of Finance. This scheme is designed to supply free food grains to migrants and poor families across India, ensuring food security during challenging times. PM-GKAY operates alongside the subsidized ration provided under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to enhance the support offered to the vulnerable.
Benefits
- Additional Food Security: Every eligible family is provided with an extra 5 kg of food grains per month free of cost.
- Complementary Support: The free food grains supplement the already subsidized rations provided under the NFSA.
- Regional Specificity: Wheat and rice allocations are made based on the state/UT, ensuring suitability to regional consumption patterns.
Eligibility
Eligible families for PM-GKAY include those identified under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) categories. The criteria include:
- Vulnerable Households:
- Households headed by widows, terminally ill persons, disabled persons, or those aged 60 years or above with no assured means of subsistence.
- Single women or single men without family support or assured subsistence.
- All primitive tribal households.
- Landless agricultural labourers, marginal farmers, and rural artisans/craftsmen.
- Urban and rural daily wage earners like porters, rickshaw pullers, handcart pullers, and others in the informal sector.
- Eligible Below Poverty Line families of HIV positive persons.
States/UT administrations are responsible for identifying Priority Households (PHH) based on their own criteria, while AAY families are identified as per the central government’s guidelines.
Application Process
Offline Application
- Visit the Nearest Fair Price Shop:
- Beneficiaries should go to the closest Fair Price Shop with their ration card.
- Authentication:
- Beneficiaries can quote either their ration card number or Aadhaar number.
- Aadhaar authentication can be done using fingerprint or iris-based identification.
Documents Required
- Ration Card
- Aadhaar Card (if linked with the Ration Card)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who are eligible for the scheme?
A1: The scheme is available to families identified under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) categories, as per the criteria defined by the State Governments/UT Administrations and the Central Government.
Q2: How do I know if I am an NFSA Beneficiary?
A2: NFSA beneficiaries are those households that have been provided a subsidized ration under the National Food Security Act. You can check your eligibility details on your ration card or through your local Fair Price Shop.
Q3: How do I avail the scheme? Is there any application process?
A3: Beneficiaries can avail the scheme by visiting their nearest Fair Price Shop with their ration or Aadhaar card. The process is simple and conducted at the shop without the need for a separate application.