CM Yogi credits Modi for free ration to 81 crore Indians
Synopsis
CM Yogi Adityanath, speaking via the UP Chief Minister's Office, credited PM Modi for delivering free rations to 81 crore Indians since 2020 under PMGKAY — with no discrimination by caste, face, or region — underscoring the scheme's universal reach.
Key Takeaways
81 crore Indians have received free food grain continuously since 2020 under PM Modi's PMGKAY, according to CM Yogi Adityanath.
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was launched in March 2020 as COVID-19 emergency relief, providing 5 kg free grain per month to NFSA beneficiaries.
CM Adityanath stressed that 'no caste, face, or region' was used as a filter — framing the scheme as fully universal.
The National Food Security Act (2013) is the legal backbone entitling roughly two-thirds of India's population to subsidised grain.
Uttar Pradesh , India's most populous state, is one of the largest beneficiary pools of the scheme.
Since 2020, not a single question about caste, face, or region — just grain, delivered free, to 81 crore people. That is the claim Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is making about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship food security push, in a statement shared by the Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, 29 July 2026.
Quoting CM Adityanath directly: 'न किसी की जाति देखी गई, न चेहरा और न ही क्षेत्र' — 'No one's caste was checked, no face scrutinised, no region favoured.' The remark is a pointed political argument: that the scheme's reach is universal, not targeted by identity.
From COVID relief to a permanent welfare pillar
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was born in March 2020 as emergency pandemic relief — 5 kg of free food grain per month for beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The NFSA itself dates to 2013, designed to cover roughly two-thirds of India's population with subsidised grain through the public distribution system. What began as a temporary COVID measure was extended repeatedly, eventually becoming a sustained entitlement rather than a crisis patch. The government's stated logic has always been simple: lock in a floor of food security for the poorest households regardless of economic disruption above them. The 81 crore figure cited by CM Adityanath — roughly six in ten Indians — reflects the scale of that ambition.Adityanath's framing and its political weight
Uttar Pradesh, with a population exceeding 240 million, is India's most populous state and one of PMGKAY's largest beneficiary pools. When the CM of UP amplifies the scheme's reach and credits the Prime Minister by name, it is not a neutral administrative update — it is a deliberate alignment of state and central messaging on welfare delivery. The emphasis on 'no caste, no face, no region' is a direct counter to a recurring critique of Indian welfare programmes: that benefits flow along political or caste lines rather than need. By foregrounding universality, the statement positions PMGKAY as a departure from that history. Future decisions on PMGKAY's continuation, budget allocation, or scope will be closely watched in upcoming parliamentary sessions — because for 81 crore people, the difference between extension and expiry is not an abstraction. It is the next meal.Point of View
No face, no region' framing is a direct ideological counter to opposition narratives about discriminatory welfare delivery, and its repetition signals it is a tested talking point, not a one-off. For the BJP, PMGKAY has evolved from a pandemic necessity into a cornerstone of its social-contract pitch to lower-income voters. The durability of that pitch will depend entirely on whether the scheme's funding and scope survive the next budget cycle.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana?
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) is a central government scheme that provides 5 kg of free food grain every month to beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act. It was launched in March 2020 as COVID-19 relief and has since been extended as a long-term entitlement.
How many people get free ration under PMGKAY?
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh cited 81 crore (810 million) beneficiaries receiving free rations continuously since 2020, though this figure reflects the government's stated coverage and is sourced from the post.
Why did CM Yogi Adityanath post about the free ration scheme?
CM Adityanath used the statement to credit Prime Minister Modi for the scheme's universal reach, emphasising that no discrimination by caste, appearance, or region was applied — a political message reinforcing the BJP's welfare delivery narrative.
When did India's free ration scheme start?
PMGKAY was launched in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as emergency food relief, and was subsequently extended multiple times before becoming a sustained programme.
What is the National Food Security Act?
The National Food Security Act, passed in 2013, legally entitles approximately two-thirds of India's population to subsidised food grains through the public distribution system. PMGKAY built on this framework to provide grain entirely free of cost.
