Understanding Antyodaya Anna Yojana Foodgrain Quantity

The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is a crucial government scheme in India aimed at providing highly subsidised foodgrains to the poorest among the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. This scheme is part of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and focuses on eradicating hunger among the most vulnerable sections of society.

Purpose and Beneficiaries of AAY

The primary goal of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana is to provide a safety net for the poorest families by ensuring access to food at minimal cost. It targets families identified as the poorest of the poor from the BPL category. These often include:

• Elderly people without support
• Disabled persons
• Widows and terminally ill individuals
• Single women or men with no means of livelihood
• Primitive tribal groups
• Households headed by single women or single men with no adult male member.

Under the scheme, specific quantities of foodgrains, primarily rice and wheat, are allocated per household per month at significantly lower prices compared to market rates or even the BPL PDS rates.

Foodgrain Allocation under Antyodaya Anna Yojana

The Antyodaya Anna Yojana stipulates a fixed quantity of foodgrains (rice and wheat combined) that each eligible household is entitled to purchase per month. This quantity is designed to meet a substantial part of their monthly nutritional needs. The government specifies the amount of foodgrains provided under this scheme.

According to the provisions of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, each eligible Antyodaya household is entitled to receive 35 kg of foodgrains per month.

The subsidised prices for these foodgrains are fixed as follows:

• Rice is provided at №3 per kg.
• Wheat is provided at №2 per kg.

This fixed allocation of 35 kg per household per month, regardless of the family size, ensures that even the smallest eligible family receives a significant quantity of subsidised food.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the options provided for the quantity of rice and wheat available at a subsidised cost under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana:

• Option 1: 35 kg
• Option 2: 40 kg
• Option 3: 30 kg
• Option 4: 25 kg

Based on the scheme's regulations, the total quantity of foodgrains provided per eligible household per month is 35 kg.

Therefore, the quantity of rice and wheat that can be purchased at a subsidised cost under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana is 35 kg.

Revision Table: Antyodaya Anna Yojana Details

Additional Information on Food Security Schemes

The Antyodaya Anna Yojana is part of a larger framework of food security initiatives in India. The Public Distribution System (PDS) is the foundation of this framework, aiming to manage food scarcity and distribute essential commodities at affordable prices. The AAY is an extension of the PDS, specifically designed to provide enhanced benefits to the most vulnerable.

Other important aspects related to food security and PDS include:

• National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA): This act provides legal entitlement to receive subsidised foodgrains under the PDS. It covers up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population.
• Priority Households (PHH): Under NFSA, families not classified as 'Antyodaya' but still eligible for subsidised foodgrains fall under the Priority Household category. They receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month.
• Fair Price Shops (FPS): These are shops authorised by the government to distribute subsidised foodgrains and other essential commodities under the PDS and AAY.
• Procurement and Stockpiling: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is the nodal agency responsible for procuring foodgrains from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP), storing them, and distributing them to the states for the PDS and other welfare schemes.

Understanding these related concepts helps provide a complete picture of India's efforts to ensure food security for its citizens, with schemes like Antyodaya Anna Yojana playing a vital role for the poorest sections.