Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): A Comprehensive Analysis

Gaurav Soni November 04, 2023 06:11 2488 0

Context: The government of India will be extending the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for the next five years.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): Empowering Food Security

Analyzing Food Security Scheme: PMGKAY is a food security welfare scheme announced by the Government of India during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
Origin: The scheme was announced in 2020 as part of the existing Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY). Initially it was scheduled to run for the period between April and June 2020.
Nodal Ministry for PMGKAY: The scheme is run by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. The Ministry of Finance is the nodal ministry.
Working of PMGKAY: The scheme will provide food grains to the poorest citizens through the Public Distribution System, to all the priority households (ration card holders and those identified by the Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme).
Under the scheme, 5 kg of rice or wheat per person and 1 kg of dal will be given to each family holding a ration card. This is above the monthly entitlement under the NFSA.
- Budget: The scheme has a budgeted sum of Rs. 2 Lakh Crores for the fiscal year 2022-23, making it the largest food security program in the world.

Success of the PMGKAY scheme

- By the end of May 2020, the food ministry estimated that the program had reached 740 million beneficiaries, especially those below poverty levels.
- Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has prevented any increase in extreme poverty levels in India during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Significance of the PMGKAY Scheme

- Hunger Reduction: The scheme will reduce the problem of hunger among the population, especially during the time of distress.
- Address Farm Distress: The acquisition of rice and wheat under MSP will address the issue of falling prices of food grains for farmers.
- Urban Poverty Reduction: The issue of poverty in urban areas can be reduced to some extent by reducing the burden of food on families.

Concerns Associated with PMGKAY

- Identifying Beneficiary: The beneficiaries of the scheme are identified based on the last census (2011), which makes it rather inconsistent with the current conditions.
- Financial Burden: Large sums of money is needed to keep the scheme running. Additional pressure from weather and rising agricultural costs make it difficult.
- Increase in Fiscal Deficit: The fiscal deficit of the government needs to be near the 6% mark. However, it will be difficult to adhere to.
- Price Rise: The scheme may further cause rise in prices of rice and wheat as the grains are acquired through MSP. The MSP prices usually increase every season.

Transforming Food Security: National Food Security Act, 2013

Nodal Ministry	The Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is the nodal ministry.
Coverage	75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population will be covered by the subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). NFSA will cater to 67% of the total population.
Beneficiaries	There are two categories of beneficiary households: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): They are entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains per month irrespective of the number of family members. The Priority Households: They get food grains depending on the number of family members (each member 5 kg per month). The identification of eligible households is to be done by States/UTs.
Support for Children and Women	Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children (6-14 years) will be entitled to meals as per prescribed nutritional norms under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) schemes.
Benefits for New Mothers	Pregnant women and lactating mothers will receive maternity benefits of not less than Rs. 6,000 under the scheme.
Target Entity	Eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above will be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards.
Role of Central Government	The Central Government will provide assistance to States in meeting the expenditure incurred by them on transportation of foodgrains within the State, its handling and FPS dealers’ margin.
Food Security Allowance	The scheme has a provision for food security allowance to entitled beneficiaries in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals.

Conclusion

PMGKAY has effectively mitigated food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis, reaching a large number of beneficiaries. However, addressing concerns related to beneficiary identification and financial sustainability is crucial for its long-term success, alongside the supportive framework provided by the National Food Security Act, 2013.

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Frequently Asked Questions

PMGKAY is a food security welfare scheme announced by the Government of India during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

The scheme is run by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. The Ministry of Finance is the nodal ministry.

The PMGKAY scheme has a budgeted sum of Rs. 2 Lakh Crores for the fiscal year 2022-23, making it the largest food security program in the world.

The beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) are identified based on the last census (2011).

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Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): A Comprehensive Analysis

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): Empowering Food Security

Success of the PMGKAY scheme

Significance of the PMGKAY Scheme

Concerns Associated with PMGKAY

Transforming Food Security: National Food Security Act, 2013

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY)?

The PMKGAY scheme comes under Which Ministry?

What is the budget of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY)?

How are the beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) identified?

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