Free Foodgrains, Route Optimisation and Subsidy Reforms Anchor World's Largest Public Distribution System in India
India’s Department of Food and Public Distribution oversaw the implementation of sweeping changes in 2025 across procurement, storage, and distribution systems, reaffirming the centrality of the National Food Security Act and associated schemes that serve nearly 80 crore people. As of December, free foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) were being delivered to about 80 crore beneficiaries, in line with the government's decision to extend free distribution for five years starting January 1, 2024. Representational Image: Kurnool-Dist Collector inspecting Mid Day Meal The move builds on allocations during the COVID-19 crisis and replaces earlier subsidized pricing under the NFSA, which had capped prices at ₹3/kg for rice, ₹2/kg for wheat, and ₹1/kg for coarse grains. For FY 2025–26, total foodgrain allocations reached 608.16 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) across schemes. Of this, 554.99 LMT was disbursed under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TP...