Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY / Free Foodgrains)
Central food security scheme providing 100% free foodgrains (rice/wheat) to over 81 crore poor citizens under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
₹Benefits & Entitlement Breakdown
📊Budget Allocation & Beneficiary Reach
₹2,05,250 Crore (Union Budget FY 2024-25 allocation for Food Subsidy under PMGKAY)
Official Budget Document ↗81.35+ Crore beneficiaries covered under NFSA
As of: 2024-03-31PIB / Official Citation ↗Verified Eligibility Criteria
Beneficiaries must belong to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) or Priority Household (PHH) categories identified by State Governments under NFSA criteria. Head of household for ration card issue must be the eldest adult woman (aged 18+) in the family.
Required Documents Checklist
- ✓NFSA Digital Ration Card (AAY or PHH category)Mandatory
Establishing entitlement at Fair Price Shops.
- ✓Aadhaar Card of all family membersMandatory
Mandatory for biometric e-PoS authentication and deduplication.
- ✓Income Certificate / BPL Certificate (for new applicants)Optional / Supporting
Required only when applying for a fresh ration card.
How to Apply
Official Government Application Portal
You will be redirected to the secure official portal: nfsa.gov.in
Frequently Asked Questions (Officially Sourced)
Verified answers sourced directly from official circulars, gazettes, and portal FAQs. Never AI-invented.
Are beneficiaries required to pay any money for foodgrains under PMGKAY?
No. Under PMGKAY, the Central Government provides foodgrains completely free of cost; Fair Price Shop dealers are strictly prohibited from charging any amount.
Source: Official Scheme FAQ ↗Can a migrant worker collect rations in another state under ONORC?
Yes. Under the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) initiative, any NFSA beneficiary can lift their entitled foodgrains from any automated Fair Price Shop across India using Aadhaar authentication.
Source: Official Scheme FAQ ↗How long is the free foodgrain scheme approved for?
The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of free foodgrains under PMGKAY for a period of five years, effective from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2028.
Source: Official Scheme FAQ ↗Common Rejection Reasons & Warnings
Household not holding a valid NFSA ration card; non-seeding of Aadhaar resulting in authentication failure; family income exceeding state NFSA inclusion criteria.
Editorial Verification & Change Log
| Date | Field | Description / Update | Source Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-16 | initial_verification | Baseline verification of unified PMGKAY free foodgrain distribution and 5-year extension up to 2028. | Official Source ↗ |
Application Window & Deadlines
Continuous entitlement through December 31, 2028
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Official Helpline & Nodal Offices
Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & PD
Krishi Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi - 110001
Helpline: 1967 / 1800-180-2088 (National NFSA Helpline)
Jurisdiction: National (All-India)Notice a Discrepancy?
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Verification Metadata
Last verified by Eligo researchers on 2026-09-16 against official government documentation.
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