The Government of India launched the Antyodaya Anna Yojana as a nationwide scheme to provide food grains at subsidized rates to poor families. In this blog, you will find out all the details of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Antyodaya Ration Card.
The Antyodaya Anna Yojana is a nationwide scheme launched by the Government of India to provide food grains at highly subsidiseded rates to the poorest of the poor families. The scheme is fully operational in all the States/UTs except for Manipur and Nagaland. As per the scheme, 35 kg of food grains per month are allocated to each Below Poverty Line (BPL) family. A new Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was also introduced under which, priority households are identified and provided food grains at subsidiseded rates through fair price shops. The scheme is being implemented through the Food Corporation of India (FCI), State Governments/UT Administrations and responsible officers at the district level have been designated as District Grievance Redressal Officers (DGROs) to look into the grievances of the people regarding this scheme. In this blog, you will find out all the details of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Antyodaya Ration Card.
| Scheme Name | Antyodaya Anna Yojana |
| was initiated | by the Government of India |
| Year | 2024 |
| beneficiary | citizens of the country |
| registration process | Online |
| Benefit | ensuring the availability of food |
| Category | Central Government Schemes |
The Objective of Antyodaya Anna Yojana 2024
The objective of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana 2024 is to provide food security to all eligible households in the country and ensure that no one goes hungry. The scheme will continue to provide subsidised foodgrains and pulses to eligible households, and will also expand its coverage to include additional benefits such as nutrition support for pregnant women and lactating mothers, and for children up to 14 years of age. The scheme will also focus on improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities for all beneficiaries.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana New Update
Features of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) offers several distinctive features:
- Food Grain Costs: AAY beneficiaries receive essential food commodities at highly subsidized rates through the public distribution system. Wheat is provided at Rs. 3 per kilogram, and rice at Rs. 2 per kilogram. Beneficiaries can also purchase 1 kilogram of sugar for Rs. 18.50 at ration shops.
- Special Ration Cards: AAY families are issued special ration cards of a distinct colour, varying from state to state. For instance, AAY families in Kerala receive a Yellow card, while those in Telangana use Pink ration cards.
- Allocation of Food Grains: The AAY scheme allocates approximately 8.51 lakh tons of food grains each month to ensure beneficiaries have access to a regular supply of essentials.
Benefits of Antyodaya Anna Yojana 2024
The Antyodaya Anna Yojana has been a boon for poor families as it has helped them meet their basic food requirements at a very affordable price. It has also helped reduce hunger and malnutrition among children from poor families. In addition, the scheme has also helped create employment opportunities for women from poorer sections of society who are engaged in its implementation.
Criteria Adopted to Identify the Families
- The main criterion adopted for identifying the poorest families is the nature of the dwelling, i.e. whether it is a pucca house or not. Other criteria include land ownership, number of family members, literacy level, and income.
- Pucca houses are made of brick/cement and have a tiled/concrete roof. They have plastered walls and floors and generally have electricity and water connections. Families living in pucca houses are generally considered to be better off than those living in kutcha houses.
- Kutcha houses are made of materials like m ud, thatch, bamboo, or asbestos sheets. They often have dirt floors and no electricity or water connections. Families living in kutcha houses are generally considered to be the poorest of the poor.
- Families who own land are generally considered better off than those who do not. Families with more educated members are also generally considered better off than those with less educated members. And finally, families with higher incomes are considered better off than those with lower incomes.
Identification of Beneficiaries
Tentative List of Beneficiary – Rural Area
- District Collectors identify beneficiaries after publicizing the process.
- Each Panchayat assigns an Officer of Revenue to prepare a tentative list.
- A Gram Sabha meeting is held to approve the list, which is consolidated at the Block and District levels and approved by the state government.
Tentative List of Beneficiary – Urban Area
- Urban local bodies’ Chief Executive identifies beneficiaries.
- Preliminary lists are widely publicized, and objections are invited at the Ward Level.
Beneficiaries of Rural Areas of Antyodaya Anna Yojana
The beneficiaries of the scheme are chosen by the Gram Sabha, which is the village assembly.
The AAY has been very successful in reaching its target population. As of March 2016, 3.6 million households were benefitting from the scheme. The scheme has helped to reduce hunger and malnutrition among its beneficiaries. It has also helped to improve their economic and social status.
Beneficiaries of Urban Areas of Antyodaya Anna Yojana
- The targeted beneficiaries of the scheme are those who are unable to afford adequate nutrition, including pregnant women and lactating mothers, children aged 6 months to 14 years, and senior citizens aged 60 years or above.
- The scheme is implemented through the Public Distribution System (PDS), and food grains are distributed through fair price shops (FPSs). FPSs are outlets where eligible households can purchase subsidised food grains at a discounted price. To avail of the benefits of the scheme, eligible households must possess a valid antyodaya ration card. antyodaya ration cards are issued by state governments, and contain information such as the names and photographs of family members, as well as details of the entitlement of each member.
- A key feature of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana is its emphasis on targeting the poorest of the poor. To this end, priority household status is accorded to those who belong to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, landless labourers, manual scavengers, small and marginal farmers, artisanal workers, and widows. As per government data, there are approximately 2 crore priority households which are currently covered under the scheme.
Documents of Antyodaya Anna Yojana 2024 Eligibility
- Residence Proof: To be eligible for the AAY, applicants must be residents of India. They will need to submit a copy of their antyodaya ration card, Aadhar card, or any other document that proves their residence in India.
- Age Proof: Applicants must be 18 years of age or older to be eligible for the AAY. They will need to submit a copy of their birth certificate, Aadhar card, or any other document that proves their age.
- Income Proof: To be eligible for the AAY, applicants must have an annual household income of less than ₹1 lakh. They will need to submit a copy of their income tax return, bank statement, or any other document that proves their annual household income.
- BPL Antyodaya Ration Card: To be eligible for the AAY, applicants must possess a valid Below Poverty Line (BPL) antyodaya ration card. They will need to submit a copy of their BPL antyodaya ration card to verify their eligibility for the scheme.
How to Apply for the Antyodaya Anna Yojana Offline?
Eligible beneficiaries in rural areas should approach the concerned Gram Sabha to apply for AAY. Beneficiary selection is carried out after due process and a consolidated list is approved.
How to Apply for Antyodaya Anna Yojana 2024?
Households can apply for the scheme through the nearest Public Distribution System outlet or by contacting their District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner.
Once the application is received and verified, antyodaya ration cards will be issued to eligible households which they can use to avail their monthly quota of grains from PDS outlets. It is important to note that antyodaya ration card holders will have to produce their proof of identity whenever they purchase grains under this scheme.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana 2024 State Wise List
The following is the list of states and union territories where Antyodaya Anna Yojana is currently being implemented:
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Nodal Agency Address
The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) lists the nodal agencies responsible for the implementation of the Act at the national, state, and district levels. The National Level Nodal Agency is the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. The State Level Nodal Agencies are the Departments of Food & Civil Supplies / Consumer Affairs / rationing in the States/UTs. The District Level Nodal Agencies are the Deputy Commissioners / District Magistrates / Collectors in the districts. Get more information By Visiting Vakilsearch.
Issue of Antyodaya Ration Card
Once beneficiaries are identified (AAY families), AAY ration cards are issued to them by the designated authority. These ration cards contain details of the Antyodaya family and the scale of the ration provided.
FAQs:
1. What is the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)?
The AAY is a scheme of the Government of India launched to provide food and nutritional security to the poorest of the poor households in the country. The scheme provides for a particular quantity of rice or wheat at a highly subsidiseded rate of ₹2 per kg to eligible households.
2. Who is eligible for the scheme?
– Below poverty line families as identified by the relevant State/UT Governments; and, – Households headed by women, Scheduled Tribes, landless laborers with no regular source of income, manual scavengers, destitute and persons with disability.
