Over 81 crore people get 5 kg grain monthly under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, while poor families receive 35 kg for free.
NEW DELHI: A well-known journalist and author in the country, who is also a supporter of civil rights and an admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raised objections to the government’s free ration scheme for the poor in his column this week. Therefore, he cannot be labeled anti-government. However, he is not alone in opposing the free ration distribution. Many from the affluent and middle classes also criticize this policy. Like the writer, they argue that such schemes are making people lazy, and instead of working, they are taking undue advantage of free benefits.
These critics fail to acknowledge that once the poor receive free food grains, they can use their earnings from labor to buy clothes for their wives and children, essential household items for their huts or kutcha houses, and milk and water. Free education and books from government schools make their children slightly educated. These poor families also work in the homes, farms, or shops of the very same affluent and middle-class people.
Another important point is that the government purchases millions of tons of grains from farmers at fair prices before distributing them. If the government only buys the grain, what would it do with the stock?
From this perspective, it is necessary to understand the government’s entire free ration scheme in detail. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, more than 81 crore people in the country are given 5 kilograms of grain per month by the government. Poor families receive 35 kilograms of free grain every month under this scheme. The scheme was launched during the COVID crisis in 2020. Its duration has now been extended for five more years, making it effective until 2029. The government will spend Rs 11.80 lakh crore on this scheme over five years. During COVID, people lost their jobs and couldn’t afford basic necessities or proper meals. Every family’s situation had deteriorated, leading to immense hardship, especially with the loss of employment. Hence, the scheme was launched in March 2020, based on the needs of the people.
In 2025, the government revamped the scheme for poverty eradication and social welfare. The new ration card scheme aims to provide comprehensive support to economically weaker sections. It will not only ensure food security but also serve as a significant step toward overall socio-economic development. Even today, millions of families live below the poverty line. Due to inflation and unemployment, arranging two meals a day has become a challenge for many families. In such a situation, the government has decided to provide relief through Ration Card Yojana 2025. This scheme is an expanded and more effective version of the existing Public Distribution System (PDS), offering many new benefits and features.
Under Ration Card Yojana 2025, all eligible beneficiaries will receive 5 kilograms of free grain per person per month, including wheat, rice, and pulses. This quantity is higher than in previous schemes and includes nutritionally significant pulses. The government has also ensured that the distributed grain is of high quality. To this end, food inspection and quality control systems have been strengthened. A special helpline has also been set up to resolve complaints related to ration quality.
Ration card holders will now also receive Rs 1,000 in financial assistance every month. This amount will be directly transferred to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through digital means. The process will use Aadhaar linking and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), eliminating middlemen and increasing transparency.
This financial assistance will be a boon, especially for families with irregular income or those dependent on daily wages. They can use this amount for their daily needs, children’s education, healthcare, and other essential expenses.
A crucial aspect of Ration Card Yojana 2025 is the “One Nation One Ration Card” system. Under this system, ration card holders can use their card anywhere in the country. This feature is particularly beneficial for migrant workers who often move from one state to another in search of employment. Earlier, migrant laborers faced difficulty accessing ration outside their home states. Now they can receive their ration from any state, ensuring food security and reducing financial stress.
Ration Card Yojana 2025 also emphasizes education and skill development. Under this scheme, children of ration card holders will receive free books, uniforms, and scholarships for school education. This will help children from poor families gain an education and secure their future.
Women’s empowerment is also given special importance in the scheme. The ration card will be issued in the name of a female member of the family, thereby increasing the role and significance of women in the household.
For example, in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand, under the Food Security Scheme, each family member receives five kilograms of grain. In Jharkhand, rice, wheat, and chana dal are distributed. The government has also received proposals to provide soybeans to each family. If implemented, families will get rice/wheat, pulses, and soybeans as a vegetable substitute. Clothing is also a basic necessity alongside food. The government provides dhotis/lungis and sarees twice a year to each family for just Rs 10. The state government is helping people clothe themselves at a very low cost.
To ensure farmers receive minimum support prices and welfare scheme needs are met, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies procure wheat. There has also been a directive to focus on the procurement of coarse grains. For the 2025–26 rabi marketing season starting in April, a target of 31 million tons of wheat procurement has been set. The government has targeted a record wheat production of 115 million tons for the 2024–25 crop year (July–June), yet the procurement target remains lower. According to an official statement, during a meeting with state food secretaries, procurement targets for rabi crops like wheat, paddy, and coarse grains were set. After discussions, the upcoming marketing season’s procurement targets were fixed at 31 million tons for wheat, 7 million tons for rice, and 1.6 million tons for coarse grains. States have been urged to take active steps to maximize wheat and rice procurement in the upcoming season and to focus on coarse grains to promote crop diversification and improve nutritional intake. The minimum support price for wheat for the 2025–26 rabi marketing season has been fixed at Rs 2,425 per quintal.
To ensure farmers receive MSP and welfare needs are met, FCI and state agencies procure wheat. In the 2024–25 season, government wheat procurement reached 26.6 million tons against a target of 30–32 million tons. Though this is higher than the 26.2 million tons procured in 2023–24, it is still below the 34.1 million ton target for that year.
A serious problem has emerged in the distribution of food grains. According to a report by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, approximately Rs 69,000 crore worth of ration goes missing from the country every year, causing a massive loss. This ration is meant for the 81 crore needy people who depend on government assistance. The report states that nearly 2 million tons of rice and wheat are diverted to the open market or elsewhere before reaching the intended beneficiaries. Though the issue of ration theft has reduced, it still persists. In 2011–12, 46% of the ration was stolen, which has now decreased to 28%. This remains a concern as it affects the country’s economy.
To prevent such discrepancies, the government has taken strict measures. If a ration card holder hasn’t updated their KYC, they won’t be able to avail themselves of ration or government scheme benefits from 2025 onward. Millions of ration cards may become inactive, depriving people of subsidized food grains and other benefits. This step has been taken to eliminate fake and ineligible beneficiaries and ensure that aid reaches the truly needy. In several places, multiple ration cards have been issued under the same name, creating issues in distribution. Through the KYC process, it will be ensured that only genuine and eligible beneficiaries receive government aid.
Another question arises: why does the influential section of society, which often seeks tax reductions and avails of every possible facility, object to government aid for the poor? Their incomes have increased, whether in government or private sectors. The poor work in their homes, shops, factories, and fields. Yet, they oppose government support for the underprivileged. They should also focus on educating and uplifting the people around them.