5 kg free ration for 5 more yrs? Modi dole 'hides' suspension of food security benefit

By Aysha, Gangaram Paikra*
The Central government is misrepresenting the National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA) as their own initiative through Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), a misrepresentation being used as an election dole. The Prime Minister of India in an election rally in Chhattisgarh on 4th November 2023, announced that the 5 kg free ration allocation to the ration card holder under the Public Distribution System (PDS) to 80 crore people has been extended for the next five years.
This announcement is a clear violation of the model code of conduct. The announcement of this policy decision reflects as an unfair means of influencing voters with the use of state machinery.
In April 2020, due to unprecedented economic distress, the Central government had announced the PMGKAY to provide an extra 5 kg of free foodgrains to every ration cardholder in addition to the NFSA entitlement of 5 kg foodgrains at subsidised rates (as per Schedule 2 of NFSA 2013). Therefore, since April 2020 ration cardholders were entitled to a 10 kg ration per person (5 kg under NFSA at a subsidized price and 5 kg free under PMGKAY).
On 23rd December 2022, the Union government announced that it would discontinue the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) from January 1, 2023. Since January, the central government has been referring to the Public Distribution System as the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana to hide the discontinuation of the additional 5 kg ration to every ration card holder.
The government has termed this as a ‘historic’ decision even though realistically it does not compensate for the high prices of many food commodities in any way. The net savings per person as a result of the announcement of the NFSA ration being free will be only around Rs 11 per month (4 kg of wheat x Rs 2 and 1 kg of rice x Rs 3).
Independent field surveys clearly highlight an alarming situation in the country. This cushion was only limited to those who possessed ration cards under the NFSA. Millions of equally vulnerable households continue to be excluded from the public distribution system as the quotas and coverage have not been revised for more than 12 years despite the increase in population. Currently, it is estimated that more than 10 crore of India’s most marginalized citizens are without ration cards.

It is estimated that more than 10 crore of India’s most marginalized citizens are without ration cards

The Supreme Court in an order dated April 20, 2023, in MA 94/2022 in ‘Re Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers’, has given significant directions to ensure food security for migrant workers and unorganised sector workers. 28.60 crores migrants/unorganized workers are registered on the eShram portal, of which 20.63 crores are registered on the ration card database.

The order directs all State/UT governments to issue ration cards under the NFSA to the 8 crore persons who are registered on the eShram portal but do not possess ration cards. A large number of migrant/unorganized labourers and their families have been deprived of access to subsidized food grains and other schemes under the National Food Security Act, as they do not possess ration cards. No state/union territory governments has initiated any steps to implement the Supreme Court's order.
The foodgrains allocation to all ration card holders is only limited to cereals (wheat, rice and millets). Essential commodities such as dal, cooking oil, vegetables etc, have still not been included in the food basket and their prices in the market are skyrocketing every month. In the market, the prices of dal are above Rs 150 per kilogram, and for cooking oil, prices are between Rs. 110-130 per litre.
The prices of various vegetables fluctuate every month due to high food price inflation. To put this in perspective, an analysis of the costs of a vegetarian thali meal (excluding curd, fruits and tea) revealed that the costs have jumped up by 42% from 2015 to 2022 (for a family of five persons). Such disproportionate increase in food prices are also leading to poor nutritional conditions largely among women and children due to a lack of dietary diversity.
Therefore, the priority to ensure food and nutritional security of every Indian citizen must focus on the universalisation of the PDS and expansion of the food basket -- this includes provision of dal and cooking oil in PDS. Under ICDS and MDM, it is important to increase provisions for women and children as well as inclusion of eggs for additional nutrition. The right to food for every Indian must be enshrined by the constitutional guarantee of NFSA as a legal entitlement and not as a handout or as part of any political promises.
---
*Convenors, Right to Food Campaign

Comments

Plastic burning in homes threatens food, water and air across Global South: Study

By Jag Jivan In a groundbreaking study spanning 26 countries across the Global South , researchers have uncovered the widespread and concerning practice of households burning plastic waste as a fuel for cooking, heating, and other domestic needs. The research, published in Nature Communications , reveals that this hazardous method of managing both waste and energy poverty is driven by systemic failures in municipal services and the unaffordability of clean alternatives, posing severe risks to human health and the environment.

Economic superpower’s social failure? Inequality, malnutrition and crisis of India's democracy

By Vikas Meshram India may be celebrated as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, but a closer look at who benefits from that growth tells a starkly different story. The recently released World Inequality Report 2026 lays bare a country sharply divided by wealth, privilege and power. According to the report, nearly 65 percent of India’s total wealth is owned by the richest 10 percent of its population, while the bottom half of the country controls barely 6.4 percent. The top one percent—around 14 million people—holds more than 40 percent, the highest concentration since 1961. Meanwhile, the female labour force participation rate is a dismal 15.7 percent.

The greatest threat to our food system: The aggressive push for GM crops

By Bharat Dogra Thanks to the courageous resistance of several leading scientists who continue to speak the truth despite increasing pressures from the powerful GM crop and GM food lobby , the many-sided and in some contexts irreversible environmental and health impacts of GM foods and crops, as well as the highly disruptive effects of this technology on farmers, are widely known today.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

'Restructuring' Sahitya Akademi: Is the ‘Gujarat model’ reaching Delhi?

By Prakash N. Shah* A fortnight and a few days have slipped past that grim event. It was as if the wedding preparations were complete and the groom’s face was about to be unveiled behind the ceremonial tinsel. At 3 PM on December 18, a press conference was poised to announce the Sahitya Akademi Awards .

The war on junk food: Why India must adopt global warning labels

By Jag Jivan The global health landscape is witnessing a decisive shift toward aggressive regulation of the food industry, a movement highlighted by two significant policy developments shared by Dr. Arun Gupta of the Nutrition Advocacy for Public Interest (NAPi).

The illusion of nuclear abundance: Why NTPC’s expansion demands public scrutiny

By Shankar Sharma* The recent news that NTPC is scouting 30 potential sites across India for a massive nuclear power expansion should be a wake-up call for every citizen. While the state-owned utility frames this as a bold stride toward a 100,000 MW nuclear capacity by 2047, a cold look at India’s nuclear saga over the last few decades suggests this ambition may be more illusory than achievable. More importantly, it carries implications that could fundamentally alter the safety, environment, and economic health of our communities.

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

Search This Blog