Context
Recently, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution revised the PMKGAY (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana) allocation of rice and wheat for all the 36 states/UTs for the remaining five months — from May to September 2022.
About PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)
- PMGKAY is a scheme by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
- It is a scheme as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat to supply free food grains to migrants and the poor.
- Government of India announced the ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package(PMGKP) in 2020 to ameliorate the hardships faced by the poor due to economic disruptions caused by the Covid-19 in the country.
- This package inter-alia comprises the implementation of “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)”, through which additional free-of-cost food grains (Rice/Wheat) at the scale of 5 Kg per person per month are being provided to about 81 Crore beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), so that poor and vulnerable families/beneficiaries are able to access food-grains easily without facing any financial distress.
- The objective of the Scheme is to support the poorest citizens of India by providing grain through the Public Distribution System.
- The scale of this welfare scheme makes it the largest food security program in the world.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana: All phases
- Phase-I and Phase-II of this scheme was operational from April to June, 2020 and July to November, 2020 respectively.
- Phase-III of the scheme was operational from May to June, 2021.
- Phase-IV of the scheme was operational for July-November, 2021
- Phase-V of the scheme will be operational by December 2021 to March 2022.
Significance and Challenge
- Significance:It is significant in a view of daily wagers and informal sector entrepreneurs who lost their job in the wake of Covid-19 induced Lockdown.
- Challenge:A key issue is that the beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act are based on the last census(2011).
- The number of food-insecure people has increased since then and they remain uncovered.
About National Food Security Act, 2013
- In PUCL vs Union of India, SC said Right to food is essential to Right to Life (Art 21). Hence NFSA has a rights based approach. Objective is to provide for food and nutritional security in the human life cycle approach.
- All the above schemes PDS, RPDS, TPDS are merged except Antyodaya Anna Yojana which will continue to give 35 kg to the poorest of poor.
- It covers 67% of the population (75% Rural and 50% Urban). Beneficiaries will be taken from SECC.
- People will get 5 kgs of foodgrains per person per month upto 5 family members at subsidised prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains. It uses the TPDS mechanism.
- Special nutritional support to women and children.
- It includes meals to Pregnant women and lactating mothers during pregnancy and 6 months after child birth. They are entitled to a nutritious "take home ration" of 600 Calories and a maternity benefit of >= Rs 6,000 for 6 months. Hence, PMMVY is merged. 5000 + 1000 rs under Janani Suraksha Yojana.
- Children upto 14 years will get nutritious meals.
- If there is no supply in 15 days, then beneficiaries will get Food Security Allowance.
- Grievance redressal mechanism at District and State levels. Transparency and Accountability to be ensured.
- Food fortification = Rice with Protein; Wheat with Zinc and Coarse Cereals with Iron.
- Utilisation of Dryland area agriculture which is 52% land.
- In Chandigarh, Puducherry and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the act is impemented in cash transfer mode and they will have the choice to buy foodgrains from the open market.
- The oldest woman in a household, >= 18 years, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.
|
