On January 1 this year, the Union Government introduced a new comprehensive food security scheme known as the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY). The objective of this scheme is to provide free foodgrains to beneficiaries of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Primary Household (PHH), with an estimated reach of over 80 crore individuals. Additionally, the government announced its plan to allocate over two lakh crores rupees in 2023 as food subsidy under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and other welfare programs, aiming to alleviate the financial burden faced by the poor and the marginalised sections of society.