It has been a remarkable year for Department for Food and Public Distribution with the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) extended for five years with this January 1, cent per cent digitised ration cards under National Food Security Act across India, 99.8 per cent fair price shops (FPSs) automated now using electronic point of sale and One Nation One Ration card enabled across the country covering 80 crore beneficiaries, among others.

Under the PMGKAY, the period for distribution for free of cost food grains under the PMGKAY has been extended for five years w.e.f. 1st January, 2024. The scheme would ensure effective and uniform implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

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Under the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), which is a successful initiative of portability of ration card, any beneficiary can take delivery of food grains from any FPS at uniform NFSA entitlement and price across the country. The free food grains will concurrently ensure uniform implementation of portability under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) across the country and will further strengthen this choice-based platform.

At present, against the intended coverage of 81.35 crore persons, 80.67 crore persons are receiving food grains free of cost, according to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs,Food and Public Distribution.

The Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, in his address on the 75th Independence Day (15th August, 2021) made an announcement providing nutrition by supplying fortified rice throughout the government schemes.

Pursuant to the announcement, the the government in order to achieve uniform nutritional impact of fortified rice among the targeted population is supplying fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme, and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme and in Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) in all States and Union Territories (UTs).

The initiative to supply fortified rice has been successfully implemented by March, 2024, achieving cent per cent lifting. Custom-milled rice has been replaced with fortified rice in every scheme of the Government. Initially funded by the Government of India as part of food subsidy until June 30, 2024, the initiative was reviewed for further continuation and future cost-sharing.

The Cabinet during a meeting held on 9th October, 2024 has approved to continue the supply of fortified rice under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) and Other Welfare Schemes from July 2024 and upto December 2028.

This initiative will continue as a Central Sector Initiative, fully funded by the Government under the existing PMGKAY framework, utilizing the previously approved allocation of Rs. 11,79,859 crore for the PMGKAY scheme.

A cent per cent digitized ration cards/beneficiaries’ data under NFSA in all States/UTs. Details of almost 20.54 Crore ration Cards covering around 80 Crore beneficiaries are available on transparency portals of States/UTs. About 99.8 per cent (5.41 Lakh of total 5.43 Lakh) Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country are automated using electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices for transparent and ensured distribution of subsidized food grains to beneficiaries. Under distribution of food grains, more than 97 per cent of the transactions have been recorded biometrically/Aadhaar authenticated by States/UTs.

Similarly, starting with inter-State portability in just 4 States in August 2019, so far, the ONORC plan has been enabled in all 36 States/UTs (across the country) covering around 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries, i.e., almost 100% NFSA population in the country. Since its inception, more than 158.8 Crore portability transactions have been recorded under the ONORC plan in the country delivering more than 315.8 LMT food grains, which includes both inter-State and intra-State transactions.

During the year 2024, about 30 crore portability transactions were performed in 11 months of 2024 delivering around 66 LMT food grains including inter-state and intra-state portability transactions of NFSA and PMGKAY. Presently, more than 2.5 crore portability transactions are being recorded every month under PMGKAY foodgrain distribution. During 2024 (from January, 2024 to Oct, 2024), 204 containerized rakes moved with approx. freight savings of Rs. 4.40 crore.

FCI is also undertaking multi-modal transportation of rice involving coastal shipping and road movement from designated depots of Andhra Pradesh to designated depots in Kerala and A&N and Karnataka to Lakshadweep. During 2024 (i.e. from January, 2024 to Oct, 2024) 0.39 LMTs Food grains stock were moved based on cost economics in comparison to the conventional mode of transportation. Further, FCI has moved a total 10205 rakes of food grains with an approximate quantity of 358.93 LMT loaded from January, 2024 to Oct, 2024, to meet the requirement of NFSA.

The total Coarse grain procurement carried out during KMS 2023-24 is 12.55 LMT which is 170 per cent as compared to procured during KMS 2022-23. This is the highest coarse grain procurement in the last 10 years.