National Food Security Act entitlements: 35 kg a month for an Antyodaya household and 5 kg a person for priority households

Background

The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) turns subsidised foodgrains from a welfare benefit into a legal entitlement. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households, which the Act treats as the poorest of the poor, are legally entitled to receive 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month. Priority households are entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month. The Act provides for coverage of up to 75 per cent of the rural population and up to 50 per cent of the urban population for highly subsidised foodgrains through the Targeted Public Distribution System. On the population figures of Census 2011, that coverage works out to about 81.35 crore persons. The Government has stated that there is no change in the entitlement of foodgrains of beneficiaries under the Act, and that no proposal for universalisation of the coverage is under consideration. The identification of eligible households within the coverage limits is done by the State Governments and Union Territory administrations.