Jammu, Mar 20: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday said a total of 16.64 lakh households, representing 66.82 lakh beneficiaries, are eligible to receive free food grains each month under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Responding to a question raised by MLA Abdul Majid Larmi in the Assembly regarding the enhancement of ration quotas for cardholders, it was confirmed that each Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) household receives 35 kg of food grains free of cost every month.
Each beneficiary in priority households is entitled to 5 kg of food grains each month at no cost, the government said, adding that nearly 8.15 lakh non-priority households, comprising approximately 31.70 lakh beneficiaries, can access food grains at greatly subsidised rates—rice at Rs 15 per kg and wheat flour at Rs 13 per kg.
The government disclosed that a proposal to provide additional free food grains for AAY households is included in the Annual Financial Statement for 2025-26.
On the issuance of new ration cards to deserving families, the House was informed that the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has made consistent efforts to enrol eligible households into the public distribution system. “Standing orders have been issued to include any left-out eligible households into the public distribution system based on eligibility criteria,” the government said.
However, it was said that the bifurcation of ration cards has been halted pursuant to a government order. This move aims to meet the targets set for covering families under the Public Distribution System, particularly AAY households, with an entitlement of 35 kg per household.
Providing further clarity, the government said issuing fresh ration cards through the bifurcation process could create complications in arranging additional food grains for the new households. This also poses challenges for the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs in managing resources and assisting in other government schemes that rely on the public distribution system database—where households serve as units of entitlement.
Responding to a question about establishing new sale centres in areas with populations of about 300 residents and allotting them to local unemployed youth, the House was informed that the department has already established a framework in this regard as part of the Jammu and Kashmir Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order 2023.
“Opening new fair price shops and rationalising existing ones are indicated in that framework. Since the elected government has assumed office, it has been deemed prudent to involve elected representatives in assessing the need for new fair-price shops across Jammu and Kashmir, which has necessitated a re-evaluation of the existing framework,” the government said, adding that further steps will be taken once the required amendments are made.
