The Department of Food and Public Distribution has invited public comments on the draft National Food Security (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to address disparities in foodgrain allocations among beneficiaries of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), the country's flagship food security scheme for the poorest households.
The proposed amendment aims to replace the existing household-based entitlement system under AAY with a per-person entitlement model, while retaining an upper limit of 35 kg of foodgrains per household per month. The government has opened the draft legislation for public consultation and invited feedback until July 13, 2026.
According to the Department, the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, was enacted to strengthen food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantities of quality food at affordable prices. As part of its ongoing efforts to improve the implementation of the Act, the government is considering amendments to make foodgrain distribution more equitable.
At present, households covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana receive a fixed entitlement of 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month, regardless of family size. In contrast, Priority Household beneficiaries under NFSA receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month. The Department noted that the existing AAY provision has resulted in significant inequities, as smaller households receive a higher per-capita allocation while larger households receive a lower per-capita entitlement, sometimes even less than that available to Priority Household beneficiaries.
To address this issue, the draft amendment proposes that every person belonging to an AAY household should be entitled to 7 kg of foodgrains per month at subsidized rates. However, the total entitlement for any AAY household would remain capped at 35 kg per month.
The government said the objective of the amendment is to remove inequities within the Antyodaya category, provide a more rational basis for foodgrain allocation, and better align entitlements with nutritional requirements.
The draft National Food Security (Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposes changes to Section 3 of the NFSA, 2013. Under the revised provision, AAY beneficiaries would receive foodgrains on a per-capita basis, subject to limits specified. The amendment would come into effect on a date to be notified by the Central Government after its enactment.