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Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) 

Antyodaya Anna Yojana

Antyodaya Anna Yojana Aay

Hunger-free India

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is one of the public distribution system schemes in India implemented from 2000. The main objective of the scheme is to ensure food security and to create hunger-freeee India. AAY scheme covers the poorest of the poor in India by supply of food and other important commodities for their daily needs on subsidized rates. In this article, we look at Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme in detail.

Features of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

The salient features of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) are explained in detail here.

Food Grain Costs

All beneficiaries under AAY scheme will get food and other important commodities for daily needs in subsidized process. Distribution of food grains to beneficiary will be done through public distribution system.

Under AAY scheme wheat will be provided for Rs.3 per Kg and Rice will be given for Rs.2 per Kg. Eligible family will get 35 Kg of rice per month.AAY families can buy 1 kg of sugar at a rate for Rs.18.50 per Kg via ration shop.

Special Ration Cards

Central and State Government of India is identifying the beneficiary for AAY scheme. Once the Government identified, AAY family will provide with different colour of ration card.

For example in Kerala Yellow card is given for AAY family and in Telangana Pink ration card is used by AAY families.

Know more about ration cards.

Allocation of Food Grains

Monthly allocation of food grains under Antyodaya Anna Yojana is around 8.51 lakh tones per month.

Antyodaya Anna Yojana Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) are given here.

Rural Areas Beneficiaries

  • Families getting an annual income up to Rs.15000 are eligible for Antyodaya Anna Yojana.
  • Old age pensioners
  • Small and marginal farmers
  • Landless agricultural labourers
  • Physically handicapped persons
  • Destitute widows
  • Rural artisans or craftsmen such as potters, weavers, blacksmiths, carpenters and slum dwellers.

Urban Areas Beneficiaries

  • Family annual income below Rs.15000 will get benefit under this scheme
  • People living in slums
  • Daily wager such as Rickshaw-pullers are one of the beneficiaries under AAY
  • Porters are eligible for AAY scheme
  • Fruit and flowers sellers on pavements
  • Domestic servants will get benefit of AAY
  • Construction workers can apply for this benefits
  • Households headed by widows or disabled persons or persons aged 60 years or more with no assured means of subsistence or societal support will get benefit of AAY.
  • Snake charmers, rag pickers, cobblers are also get benefit under this

Eligibility for Antyodaya Anna Yojana

Eligibility criteria for Antyodaya Anna Yojana is given here.

  • Family members falling under Below Poverty line can apply for this scheme
  • Annual income of Rs.15000 below families are eligible
  • Disabled persons can apply for this scheme
  • Widows and senior citizen of 60 years who heading a family can apply
  • Tribal Families in the rural and mountain areas is eligible for this scheme

Documents Required

The documents required for apply Antyodaya Anna Yojana is discussed here.

  • BPL certificate
  • Income Certificate
  • Deletion certificate or Affidavit saying that the applicant does not hold any Ration card previously.

Applying for Antyodaya Anna Yojana

Eligible beneficiary in rural area need to approach concern Gram Sabha for apply AAY Selection of beneficiary will made under follow. In case of urban area, applicant needs to visit Urban Development Department for application.

Identification of Beneficiaries

Under this scheme identification of AAY families is carried out by the State Government or UT administrations. Beneficiaries are identified from amongst the number of BPL families within the state.

Tentative List of Beneficiary – Rural Area

Step 1: The State Government and UT in turn, distribute this number among the various districts and further to Panchayat and the municipality.

Step 2: District Collectors will start the process of identification of beneficiary after giving it wide publicity.

Step 3: At the Block level, each Panchayat is assigned to an Officer of Revenue.

Step 4: Office of Revenue will prepare a tentative list of the poorest of the poor keeping in view the overall families allotted to the Panchayat.

Step 5:  Once the tentative list for a Panchayat is ready, a meeting of the Gram Sabha will be held.

Step 6: Once the list is approved by the Gram Sabha and it will be consolidated at the Block level and then at the District level. Beneficiary list will be approved by state government.

Tentative List of Beneficiary – Urban Area

Step 7: The identification of beneficiary will be drawn by urban local bodies Chief Executive.

Step 8: The Preliminary list of beneficiaries may be given wide publicity and also displayed at the Ward Level inviting objections. After going in through the process, the consolidated list for the Urban Local Body and its approval obtained.

Issue of Antyodaya Ration Card

After the identification of beneficiaries (AAY family), AAY ration cards will be issued to the Antyodaya families by the designated authority. The ration card will contain details regarding Antyodaya family and scale of ration.