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Last Updated: June 2026

PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana 2026: 5 kg Free Grain per Person per Month

PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) provides 5 kg of free foodgrain (rice, wheat, or coarse grain) per person per month to all National Food Security Act (NFSA) ration card holders — covering over 81.35 crore people across India. From January 2023, PM-GKAY has been merged into the regular NFSA framework, so all NFSA beneficiaries continue to receive 5 kg free grain indefinitely. Learn who qualifies, how to collect, and how to get a ration card.

Verified by NagrikIQ Research Team
Sources: Official .gov.in portals only · Updated June 2026
Official Sources
nfsa.gov.in — Official Portal →

Most people don't realise that since January 2023, PM-GKAY isn't a separate 'extra' scheme anymore — it's now permanently baked into your regular NFSA ration card entitlement, which means 81 crore people are quietly getting 5 kg of free grain every month without any additional application. What surprises me is how many eligible families still don't collect because they assume the fingerprint machine at the FPS is the only way, not knowing OTP authentication is a legal fallback. If your ration card is valid, your grain is waiting — the system just doesn't advertise that loudly.

— Sibin O, Founder, NagrikIQ · Last verified June 2026

Overview

PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) was launched in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide additional free foodgrains to NFSA beneficiaries — over and above their regular entitlement. The scheme was extended multiple times and was a critical food security lifeline for hundreds of millions of people. From 1 January 2023, PM-GKAY has been permanently merged into the National Food Security Act (NFSA) framework. Under the merged scheme: - All Priority Household (PHH) ration card holders: 5 kg free grain per person per month - All Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) card holders: 35 kg free grain per household per month This means: if you have a valid NFSA ration card (whether PHH or AAY), you receive free grain with no payment at the ration shop. No extra application is needed — you just collect from your designated ration shop (Fair Price Shop/PDS shop) each month. Scale: 81.35 crore beneficiaries — 57.73 crore rural + 23.71 crore urban — across India, covered by 5.5 lakh Fair Price Shops. Grain types distributed: Rice (paddy/parboiled/raw), Wheat, and Coarse Grains (millet, jowar, bajra) — depending on what your state allocates. The choice of grain type varies by state agreement with FCI (Food Corporation of India).

Eligibility

  • All beneficiaries listed on a valid NFSA ration card (Priority Household — PHH or Antyodaya Anna Yojana — AAY)
  • No additional application needed — all existing NFSA card holders automatically receive free grain
  • PHH beneficiaries: 5 kg free grain per person per month
  • AAY beneficiaries: 35 kg free grain per household per month (fixed, regardless of family size)
  • Must be listed as a beneficiary in the state's NFSA/PDS database
  • Must collect grain from the designated Fair Price Shop (FPS) in the area where ration card is registered
  • Aadhaar-based biometric authentication at the FPS is typically required for collection (ePoS machine)
  • If you do not have a ration card: apply for NFSA inclusion at your state's food department — see our NFSA guide

Documents Required

Ration card (NFSA card — PHH or AAY category) — the primary document for grain collection
Aadhaar card of any member listed on the ration card (for biometric verification at ePoS machine at ration shop)
Mobile number linked to Aadhaar or ration card (for OTP-based biometric if fingerprint fails)
In case of non-Aadhaar authentication issues: ration card alone may be accepted at the FPS (state-specific policies apply)

Fees & Processing Time

Fee
FREE — 0 rupees. The grain is completely free under NFSA/PM-GKAY as of January 2023. No payment at the ration shop for the entitled 5 kg/person or 35 kg/AAY household.
Processing Time
Grain is available monthly at your designated FPS. Collection can be done at any time during the month. Each state sets the collection window. If you miss a month, you may or may not be able to collect previous months' entitlement (depends on state policy — most states allow 1–2 months' rollover). No processing time — just visit your FPS with ration card and Aadhaar.

How to Apply Online

  1. 1Check your ration card and beneficiary status at your state's food department portal (e.g., rcms.ap.gov.in for AP, epds.tn.gov.in for TN, nfsa.up.gov.in for UP)
  2. 2Check the national NFSA portal: nfsa.gov.in for scheme details and state portals list
  3. 3Verify your grain entitlement and allocation status at state PDS portal
  4. 4Find your designated Fair Price Shop (FPS): look at the back of your ration card or state PDS portal
  5. 5For portability (collecting grain away from home): check if your state has 'One Nation One Ration Card' (ONORC) — collect from any FPS in India with Aadhaar
  6. 6Check payment/collection history: some states show monthly transaction records on the state PDS portal
  7. 7To add a family member to ration card: apply at state food department portal or tehsil office

How to Apply Offline

  1. 1Visit your designated Fair Price Shop (government ration shop) at the start of the month
  2. 2Carry your ration card and Aadhaar card
  3. 3The shop owner operates an ePoS (electronic Point of Sale) device for biometric authentication
  4. 4Place your finger on the fingerprint scanner OR enter OTP on Aadhaar-linked mobile
  5. 5The ePoS machine authorises your entitlement for the month
  6. 6Receive your free grain: 5 kg per person listed on ration card (PHH) or 35 kg (AAY)
  7. 7If biometric fails: use OTP-based authentication or show ration card to the FPS owner who can do manual entry (with daily limit)
  8. 8For new ration card: visit your Tehsil/Taluk Food Inspector office with income proof, Aadhaar, and residence proof

Common Problems & Solutions

FPS shop owner refusing to give grain or charging money for 'free' grain
Under PM-GKAY/NFSA, the grain is completely free — ₹0 for PHH (5 kg/person) and AAY (35 kg/HH). No shop owner can legally charge for this. Demand a receipt showing ₹0 transaction. If still refused or charged, call the PDS helpline 1967 and report the FPS dealer number, location, and date. Also report to your state's District Food Officer. Corrupt FPS dealers face licence cancellation.
Biometric fingerprint not matching at ePoS — cannot collect grain
Request OTP-based authentication — the FPS machine also supports Aadhaar OTP verification. Enter your Aadhaar number, and the machine sends an OTP to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. If OTP also fails (mobile not linked), the FPS owner can do a 'Manual Override' with proper documentation (allowed limited times per month per shop). Visit your district food office to update biometric registration if fingerprints are worn/damaged.
Family member added to ration card but not in the ePoS system — grain denied
Adding a new member to the ration card takes 15–30 days to reflect in the ePoS database. After receiving the updated ration card with the new member's name, wait for the next month's data sync. If the issue persists after 2 months, visit the tehsil/block food officer who can manually update the system and instruct the FPS dealer.
I moved to another city — can I still collect grain from my home village's FPS?
Under ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card) portability, you can collect your grain entitlement from any FPS across India — not just your home FPS. Go to any ONORC-enabled FPS in your new city, enter your Aadhaar number, and the system recognises your entitlement. ONORC is available in all states as of 2026. This is particularly useful for migrant workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PM-GKAY still separate from the regular NFSA ration card grain?

No, not anymore. From 1 January 2023, PM-GKAY was permanently merged into NFSA. Previously, NFSA entitled PHH beneficiaries to 5 kg at subsidised prices (₹2/kg wheat, ₹3/kg rice), and PM-GKAY added an extra 5 kg free. After the merger, the entire 5 kg is now free (₹0). AAY beneficiaries continue to receive 35 kg free/household/month as before.

Who is eligible for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) vs Priority Household (PHH) ration card?

AAY cards are for the poorest of the poor — daily wage labourers with uncertain income, destitute persons, widow-headed households, disabled persons, etc. They get 35 kg/month regardless of family size. PHH cards are for other BPL households — entitlement is 5 kg per person per month. The state government determines which families get AAY vs PHH status.

What is ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card)?

ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card) is a portability scheme allowing any NFSA ration card holder to collect their grain entitlement from any Fair Price Shop anywhere in India using Aadhaar authentication. This is especially helpful for migrant workers. As of 2026, ONORC is operational in all 36 states/UTs. At the FPS, enter your Aadhaar → your home state entitlement is verified → grain dispensed at the new location.

I don't have a ration card — how do I get one?

Visit your state's food department portal or tehsil/taluk food inspector office. Required documents: Aadhaar card of all family members, income certificate (from Tahsildar), residence proof, and family photographs. The process varies by state — some states have online ration card applications, others require offline submission. The NFSA guide on our portal has state-specific instructions.

Can a private hostel student claim grain from their home village ration card?

If you are temporarily in another city for education, you can use ONORC to collect grain at any city FPS using your home ration card and Aadhaar. However, hostel messes are generally not NFSA beneficiaries themselves. Individual students listed on their family ration card can personally collect their 5 kg entitlement (or send a family member to collect it at the home FPS) — the entitlement is for the individual.

Helpline & Support

  • National Food Security Helpline: 1967 (PDS helpline)
  • NFSA Portal: nfsa.gov.in
  • State Food Department: Contact your state's food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department
  • FCI Helpline: 1800-180-4598 (Food Corporation of India)
  • Grievance: pgportal.gov.in or your state's PDS grievance portal

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Disclaimer: NagrikIQ is an informational platform and is not affiliated with any government department. Information provided is for guidance only. Always verify details on the official government portal before taking action.