Last Updated on July 15, 2026 12:12 am by BIZNAMA NEWS
By Our Correspondent
The Centre has proposed a significant overhaul of foodgrain entitlements under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) through the draft National Food Security (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeking to align benefits with household size while reducing the government’s food subsidy burden.
The draft legislation, circulated for inter-ministerial consultations and stakeholder feedback, proposes replacing the current provision of a uniform 35 kg of foodgrains per AAY household per month with an entitlement of 7 kg per eligible person per month, subject to a maximum limit of 35 kg per household.
Under the proposed framework, households with five or more eligible members will continue to receive the existing allocation of 35 kg per month, while smaller households will receive foodgrains in proportion to the number of eligible beneficiaries.
The proposed amendment to Section 3 of the National Food Security Act, 2013, provides that every eligible individual belonging to an AAY household will be entitled to 7 kg of subsidised foodgrains each month at prices specified under Schedule I of the Act. The Bill also retains the existing ceiling of 35 kg per household, ensuring that larger families do not receive less than their current allocation.
According to government estimates, the proposed changes could generate annual savings of around ₹13,590 crore from the ₹2.27 lakh crore food subsidy allocation earmarked under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for the current financial year.
Officials said the proposal is intended to make foodgrain distribution more equitable by linking allocations to actual household size. The revised formula is expected to curb excess allocations to smaller households while preserving full benefits for larger and economically vulnerable families.
The draft Bill has been circulated for comments from ministries and stakeholders before being finalised for introduction in Parliament. If enacted, it would mark one of the most significant changes to the Antyodaya Anna Yojana since the National Food Security Act came into force in 2013.