Intro for cover story: A quiet trade in welfare grain distributed under PMGKAY thrives across villages, turning a lifeline for the poor into underground commerce. A report by Tehelka SIT
“The grocery shop owners do not keep the government-supplied free rice openly in their shops; they store it elsewhere to avoid any government raid. If they display the rice in their shops, there’s a risk that someone might tip off the authorities, which would get the shop owner into trouble,” said Afsar Ali, a private broker from Mohanpur village, Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh, to the Tehelka reporter.
“Either you’re doing a sting on us, or you’re from the police department. We don’t want to lose our ration card, so I’m not going to sell my free rice to you,” said Rihana, a woman beneficiary of the free ration scheme from Sector 81, Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
“Right now, I have 7 quintals [700 kg] of ration rice with me, which I’ve collected from beneficiaries. They sell their share of free rice to me every month after receiving it from the ration shops,” said Mohammed Rafi, a private grocery store owner in Mohanpur village, Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh.
“I’ve already spoken to a ration dealer in my area. Don’t worry—if you need even 50 quintals [5000 kg] of ration rice per month, we’ll provide it,” Rafi told Tehelka.
“We buy the free ration rice from the beneficiaries at the rate of Rs 27-28 per kg, so we can’t sell it to you at Rs 32. We need at least Rs 38 per kg,” Rafi added.
“I have a regular supply of free ration rice at my shop. Every month, beneficiaries come with their quota of rice, which they either exchange for money or for better-quality rice. On average, I get 4-5 quintals [400-500 kg] of ration rice every 2-3 months,” said Rafi.
The Free Ration Scheme in India, launched in April 2020 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), was initially meant to assist the poor during the COVID-19 pandemic for three months, but was later extended. Through this scheme, over 81 crore families, who do not pay income tax, receive 5 kg of food grains per person each month. The scheme has now been extended by the central government for another five years, until December 2028.
There is no separate registration process to participate in PMGKAY. Beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), including those with Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) or Priority Household (PHH) ration cards, can access PMGKAY benefits using their existing ration cards at local fair-price shops.
Since the launch of this scheme, the government has received numerous complaints from various states and districts, alleging that ration dealers and grocery shop owners are selling free ration in the open market, and that ineligible individuals have managed to grab the rations meant for the needy. These include taxpayers, property owners, and car owners who are unfairly taking advantage of the scheme. According to reports, such individuals will soon be excluded from the program. As complaints of fraud continue to emerge, Tehelka decided to launch an investigation into PMGKAY.
Our investigation into the illicit sale of government-provided free rice begins with a conversation with Afsar Ali, a resident of Mohanpur village in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Posing as a buyer, our reporter learns that Afsar, who receives 5 kg of rice under the PMGKAY scheme, has been selling it off for Rs 16-18 per kg. This shocking admission highlights a broader issue where beneficiaries not only exploit the system for personal gain but also fuel the underground market for essential commodities meant for the poor.
Reporter – Kya kya milta hai?
Afsar -Haan..milta hai chawal, gehu aur cheeni.
Reporter – Cheeni kitni milti hai ?
Afsar- 5 kg milti hai har mahine.
Reporter – Ye to free milta hoga.. sarkar ki taraf se milta hai?
Afsar- Haan har mahine milta hai.
Reporter – Is mahine ka mil gaya?
Afsar- Bhateeja hamara le aaya.
Reporter – Kuch log bech bhi to dete hain chawal ko?
Afsar – Haan.
Reporter – Kis rate mein bechte ho?
Afsar-16-18 rupees kilo dukan wale ko dete hain.
Reporter – Kuch bechna chah rahe ho Delhi mein to batao, kis rate mein bechte ho?
Afsar- Chawal to mota wala 17-18 mein bikta hai.
Reporter – Jo sarkar tumhe free mein de rahi hai?
Afsar-Wo to 5 kilo milta hai
Reporter – Wo kitne mein bech dete ho ?
Afsar- Rs 16-17 dukan wala leta hai.
[The conversation exposes a troubling reality: beneficiaries of the government’s welfare schemes often circumvent the system, selling their entitled food grains at discounted rates. This exploitation undermines the very integrity of public welfare programs meant for the poor.]
Afsar Ali now revealed that his family holds two ration cards: a red one, for which they pay for grains, and a yellow one, which provides free rations. The yellow card, in his mother’s name, fetches them a free ration, while the red card, in the names of Afsar and his five brothers, requires payment for the ration. Afsar explained that they receive about 13 kg of food grains through the free ration and 33 kg through the paid card, with a cost of Rs 170 for the latter.
Reporter – Aur kitne log bechte hain gaon mein.
Afsar – Kuch log aapas mein badal lete hain jinka pariwar bada hai.
Reporter – Aapko to free mein mil raha hai sarkar se.. koi paisa nahi dena padta.
Reporter (continues) – Is mahine ka mil gaya.. April ka?
Afsar- Haan 4-5 din pehle.
Reporter – Ration card mein kis kis ka naam hai?
Afsar-Hum 5 bhaiyon ka…Free wala to ek hi card par aata hai chawal baki jo hai…do card hote hain. Ek lal wala hota hai usmein paise dene padte hain aur peele mein nahi dene padte aur jo free anaj milta hai wo peele wale mein milta hai.
Afsar (continues)-Hamare pass ek lal wala hai ek peele wala. Peela wala maa ke naam par hai aur lal wale hum 5 bhaiyon ka naam hai
Reporter – Maa ko milta hoga rashan free wala?
Afsar-Haan.
Reporter – Kya- kya milta hai ?
Afsar- Lagbhag 13 kilo anaj milta hai gehu, chawal, sab milakar 13 kilo, aur lal wale mein 33 kilo magar usmein paise dene padte hain
Reporter – Kitne paise ?
Afsar – Rs 170 jaate hain.
[This exchange underscores how the ration card system can be manipulated, with families exploiting multiple cards to benefit from both free and paid rations.]
Tehelka reporters, posing as clients in search of government-supplied free rice in bulk, approached Afsar Ali with a proposition: supply subsidised food grains to a private buyer in Delhi. Afsar, without hesitation, agreed to act as a middleman. He assured us that he could arrange 8–9 quintals (800–900 kg) of rice every month, sourced directly from his village of Mohanpur in Bareilly, where, according to him, over 300 people receive free rations. Afsar also offered to organise transportation via a pickup van and mentioned that he would speak to local beneficiaries as well as the ration dealer to ensure supply. What unfolds is not merely a casual deal, but a glimpse into an underground network ready to siphon off food meant for the poor.
Reporter – Yahan par kisi ko zarurat hai, wo bahut sara anaj chawal kharidna chahte hai jo sarkar deti hai….aap 16-17 rupees mein bechtey ho na?..mein aapko Delhi mein uske 30 rupees dilwa dunga.
Afsar – Jaise hum pickup bharke lekar aaye to koi dikkat to na aayegi raaste mein..jaise border pe check kare.
Reporter – To aap bata dena aap vyapari ho chawal dene aaye ho.
Afsar- Accha.
Reporter – Wo hamari zimmedari hai uski tension mat lo aap.
Afsar – Aap 30 rupees kilo le loge?
Reporter – Kitna chawal ho jayega aapke gaon se?
Afsar- Phir to mein kotey se hi baat karunga direct.
Reporter – Humko free wala chahiye jo sarkar deti hai, wahi lena hai..paise wala nahi..to gaon se aap log 17-18 mein bech rahe ho…mein 30 dilwa dunga.
Afsar- Accha baat karke batata hoon..
Reporter – Aap bharke le aaoge gaon se?
Afsar- Haan ho to jayega sir.
Reporter – Kitne log hain jinko free mein anaj mil raha hai?
Afsar – 200-250 log honge..300 se zyada hi honge.
Reporter – 300 se zyada honge jinko free anaj mil raha hai 5 kg…kaunsa gaon hai tumhara?
Afsar – Mohanpur tria.
Reporter – Ye Bareilly se kitni door hai ?
Afsar- Lucknow road se left bypass se 6 km door hai…zila Bareilly
Reporter – Aap bhi Mohanpur gaon mein rehte ho..saare Muslims hai?
Afsar- Poora Pakistani area hai.
Reporter – Pakistani area kyun bol rahe ho?
Afsar- Total Muslim hai.
Reporter – To unse baat karke batao.
Afsar- Batata hoon mein..har mahine kam se kam 6-7 quintal to ho hi jayega chawal .
Reporter – 6-7 quintal..ek gadi mein kitna aa jayega..ek pickup mein?
Afsar- Kam se kam 8-9 quintal to le hi jata hai..
Reporter – Bareilly se Delhi lane ki zimmedari tumhari hogi?
Afsar- Wo kam se kam 4-5 k lega.
Reporter – Wo hum de denge..pickup wale ka kharcha alag hai..aapka kaam hai chawal se pickup bharwa kar Delhi lana.
Afsar- Accha.
Reporter – 8-9 quintal dilwa doge har mahine?
Afsar- Haan
Reporter – Pakka ?
Afsar- Pakka sir..
Reporter- Free wala chahiye ?
Afsar- Mein poori baat karwa dunga…kotey wale se.
[This dialogue shows how easily ration rice, meant for the country’s poorest, can be diverted and sold for profit. It reminds us that welfare leakages often start on the ground, with willing sellers and eager buyers.]
After talking to us, Afsar started arranging government free rice for us, to be supplied in Delhi. He spoke to a grocery store owner in his village who told him that he has several quintals of government free rice with him, which beneficiaries had sold to him. Afsar now reverted back to us saying that grocery shop owner does not keep government free rice at his shop out of fear of being raided by the authorities for the same. Afsar said he would arrange rice from villagers willing to sell and some from a grocery shop owner. He promised to supply a large amount of government rice to us in Delhi.
Afsar – Mein ye keh raha tha dukandaar hai jaise.. jagah jagah dukan hai.. gaon wale jama karte hain chawal, to ye aise ekatha karna padega chawal ..ye dukan mein nahi rakhtey kahin aur rakhte hain chawal.
Reporter – Aisa kyun?
Afsar- Mukhbari kar di kisi ne…. “kahan se aaya kaise aaya.?”
Reporter – Kabhi chaapa pada hai kisi ke yahan..kya hota hai.?
Afsar – Challan kat dete hain 10k ka, 15 k ka.. mukhbari kar dete hai log….chawal walon k bhi licence ban ho rahe hain aajkal…wo kisi bhi variety ka chawal bech sakta hai.
Reporter – Tum apna bhi to chawal bechoge hame..tumahare 2 ration card hain.. ek laal ek peela…Lal mein paise dene padta hain..peela wala muft milta hai chawal.
Afsar- Haan
Afsar- Dukandaar ke pass 2-3 quintal hai chawal.. aur baki maine aur logon se baat ki hai, wo keh rahe hain bechte rahenge yvavastha dekhte rahenge..28 rupees kilo.
[The conversation revealed a hidden network: beneficiaries often sell their subsidised rice, middlemen quietly buy it without records, and shopkeepers stay careful because of the risk of informers and raids. Afsar acts as a fixer, moving easily through this grey market. We are seeing how welfare quietly turns into a business. ]
Now, Afsar claimed to have found a private grocery shopkeeper, Mohammed Rafi, from his village to help us get rice. Rafi told Tehelka he gets 4–5 quintals (400–500 kg) of rice from government beneficiaries over 2–3 months. He said these beneficiaries either sell their free ration or swap it for better-quality rice. Rafi agreed to arrange government rice for us too, and said he had already spoken to a ration dealer for a bigger supply.
Reporter -Hame Rafi saheb wo chawal chahiye jo sarkar de rahi hai free mein rashan mein?
Rafi- Mere pass kote ka hi chawal aata hai..log aate hain mujhse badal ke le jate hain..kuch mota chawal nahi khate wo badal ke le jate hain ya paise le jaate hain.
Reporter -To aise kitne log aa jaate hain aapke pass?
Rafi- Samajhlo 2-3 mahine mein hamare pass 4-5 quintal chawal ikhatey hue hain .
Reporter -Hame to badi tadad mein chawal chahiye.. wo kaise dogey?
Rafi- Aapke liye maine bade dealer se baat kar li hai..abhi to jo mere pass hai mujhse le lo, mein bade dealer se bhi dilwa dunga, ye hai thodi mehnat hum bhi kar lenge..1-2 rupya hamara bhi ban jayega.
[In the conversation, Rafi described a quiet system of barter and resale built around government entitlements. We see how easily the ration system turns into a parallel supply chain. What should feed the poor ends up fuelling trade, and the line between small-time deals and bigger leakages blurs.]
When asked whether the rice Rafi intended to supply to us in Delhi would, in fact, be government-issued free rice, he assured us that it would be—and offered to authenticate it by showing it on video call. He claimed that he currently had about 7 quintals (700 kg) of such rice stored, which he had purchased from ration beneficiaries. Rafi said that when needed, he portions the stock into 50 kg bundles for delivery. He confidently stated that not only could he supply 10–15 quintals per month, but could even arrange 50 quintals daily, if required.
Rafi speaks like a man running a legitimate enterprise, not someone trafficking in misappropriated welfare grain—a reflection of just how normalized the practice has become.
Reporter – Nahi mujhe wo hi chawal chahiye jo sarkar deti hai free mein ?
Rafi- Nahi to aapko bharosa kaise dilaya jaye..video call par dekh sakte hain .. bilkul wahi chawal hain kacche lage hue hain hamare pass.. abhi to hamne aise hi rakhe hue hain. Jab kisi ko dena hota hai to 50-50 kilo ke bundle bana dete hain..
Reporter – Accha jo chawal aapko log de jate hain.. wo aap ekatha karte rehte ho..abhi kitna hoga aapke pass ?
Rafi- Kareeb 7 quintal.
Reporter – Matlab 700 kilo.. aur hame har mahine chaiye 10-12 quintal ?
Rafi- Arey tum baat kar lo hum mahine k mahine 15 quintal dilwayenge .aisi baat nahi hai 50 quintal bhi dilwayenge .
Reporter-Aap kahan se loge..agar 50 quintal hame doge toh?
Rafi- Ab dilwa denge roz ki gadi aayegi jayegi to.
[Here, Rafi sounds like a man running a legitimate enterprise, not someone trafficking in misappropriated welfare grain. This shows how common and open the siphoning of welfare grain has become and how the leaks have grown steady and large. ]
Now Rafi moved to discuss the pricing of the rice. We offered to buy government rice from him at Rs 32 per kilo, but he turned down the proposal, insisting on a minimum of Rs 38 per kilo. He explained that the rice is procured from beneficiaries or ration dealers at a higher cost, and claimed that he had already roped in a dealer to ensure steady supply for us.
Reporter – Kya rate hoga chawal ka aap jo doge hame?
Rafi- Kya baat tey hui thi aapki ?
Reporter-Ye to keh rahe they 16-17-18 mein bechta hoon.
Rafi- Yahan to 27-28 rupees kharidte hain. Wo dealer le leta hai humse 30-32 ka rate..hum paise nahi lekar aate.. badle mein chawal hi lekar aatey hain.
Reporter-Area kaunsa hai?
Rafi- Teria Mohanpur, Bareilly zila.
Reporter -Humse kitna loge?
Rafi- Bareilly k ander mota chawal ki keemat Rs 40 hai.
Reporter – Hum sarkari chawal ki baat kar rahe hain free wali…?
Rafi- Pauna chawal bhi samajh lo 50 ka rate hain to mota chawal kitne ka hoga..
Reporter – Hamko kitne mein doge chawal?
Rafi- Aap kitna dogey…pehle batao?
Reporter – De do 32 rupees mein per kilo?
Rafi- Nahi itna to nahi ho sakta..kam se kam Rs 38 to ho?
Reporter -Chalo mein sham ko batata hoon.
Rafi- Haan bata do hamne dealer ke bhi kaano mein baat daal di hai..1-2 rupees ki baat hogi to idhar udhar ho jayega ha bharose wale aadmi ho..aap video call karke poora maal dekhiye poori tasalli ho tabhi aage badhna..
[As the dialogue goes on, it’s clear this isn’t casual dealing—it looks like a full trade setup, with sourcing costs, margins, and planning. Rafi talks about prices like a wholesaler, not someone just selling a few extra bags. What’s meant to be free is selling for Rs 38 a kilo in the black market.]
From Bareilly, Tehelka’s investigation into the diversion of free ration moved to Noida, another city in Uttar Pradesh. In Sector 81 of Noida, we met Rihana, a woman who identified herself as a ration scheme beneficiary, along with several others from the area. Our access to them was facilitated by a local broker. Almost immediately upon meeting us, Rihana pegged the price at Rs 35 per kilo for the rice she receives free from the government, justifying it as lower than open market rates. When we mentioned needing monthly supplies, she expressed readiness to provide them.
Rihana- Kis rate mein letey ho?
Reporter- Aap kis rate mein dengi?
Rihana- Rs 35..
Reporter- 35 rupee kilo..zyada nahi hai?
Rihana- Kum hain.. dukan ke rate se to kam hi hain..
Reporter- Chawal kaunse hain dikha dengi aap?
Rihana- Abhi to nahi hain.
Reporter- Ye wahi hain na jo sarkar free mein deti hai?
Rihana- Haan..5 kilo milte hain ek aadmi ko.
Reporter- Mujhe dikha do aap.
Rihana- Chawal kahan hai abhi ?
Reporter- Mile nahi hain?
Rihana- Na…5 tareek tak milte hain is baar mile nahi hain..10 tak milenge.
Reporter- To hame har mahine chaiye?
Rihana- Haan.
Rep[prte- Chawal kitna milta hai?
Rihana- 10 milta hai..
Reporter- Gehu 10 kilo.. kitna log ho aap ghar mein?
Rihana- 25 kilo milta hai, jaise hum chahain to poora chawal bhi le sakte hain.
Reporter- Accha.. chaho poora chawal le lo.. chaho to poora gehu..?
Rihana- Haan.. aur kuch nahi milta.
[In this short but telling exchange, Rihana openly explained how free grain can be sold depending on what her family eats. Her casual tone showed how routine this exchange has become. The system’s leak isn’t accidental; it’s now part of everyday life.]
While the Tehelka reporter was still speaking with Rihana and a group of women in Noida, suspicion suddenly crept into the air. Someone in the group raised an alarm, suggesting that we were from media and conducting a sting. A young boy even accused us of being police. The mood shifted instantly. Rihana, who had just been openly discussing the sale of her government rice, quickly backtracked. She denied having a ration card at all—an assertion that directly contradicted what she had just said moments earlier.
Rihana- Abhi hamare bane nahi hai ration card.
Reporter- Abhi to aap keh rahi ho bana hua hai ?
Rihana- Mere 6 to bacche hain khane wale.. 2 jane hum ho gaye. 8 jane to 25 kilo kyun kamse kam 40 kilo milna chaiye.
Rihana- Yahan to mein le nahi rahi hoon gaon mein milta hai hamara..
Second women- 2 kilo gehu, 3 kilo chawal.. aise milta hai.
Reporter- 2 kg gehu 3 kg chawal ek aadmi par.
Women- Haan
Reporter- To kya rate bataye aap 20 rupee kilo?
Rihana- kaisi baat kar rahe ho?
Reporter- Ye to mana kar rahi hai?
Rihana- Itne khane wale hai.. phir bhi mein bech rahi hoon. Hamare to chawal bhi acche na hai.. mote chawal hai..
Second women- Ye media wale hain.
Rihana- Media wale hain…mere to bachtey hi na hain.
Rihana (continues)- Waise bhi itne mote chawal dekh lenge to media wale kya karenge..?
Boy- Inke dil mein dhak dhak ho rahai hai..ye police wale to nahi hain ?
Reporter- Arey police wale nahi hain.
Rihana- Nahi- nahi mein aap ko jaanti hoon chacha hai hamare..10 saal se mil raha hai barabar.
[What unfolded here wasn’t just a change of heart; it was the instinctive closing of ranks when the beneficiaries came under scrutiny. The moment the women sensed exposure through media, the narrative reversed itself, and self-preservation took over.]
After speaking with Rihana, we met another woman in a different lane of the same Sector 81 locality in Noida. Though she refused to give her name, she identified herself as a beneficiary of the government’s free ration scheme. She openly admitted to selling the rice she receives—at Rs 25 per kilo—in the open market. The woman said she hadn’t received her current month’s quota yet but assured us she would be willing to sell as soon as it arrived.
Woman (unidentified beneficiary) – Abhi nahi mila hai chawal.
Reporter- Kya rate deti ho. Rs 25?
Woman – Haan
Reporter- Jo free ration sarkar de rahi hai humko wo chahiye 5 kilo, wo chahiye humko.
Woman – De to detey aapko par wo abhi mile nahi hain, pichle mahine mile, kabhi 7 ko mile kabhi 8 ko… is baar mila hi nahi.. 9 tareekh ho gayi.
Reporter- April mein abhi nahi mila?
Woman – Abhi nahi mila.
Reporter- Kitna milta hai?
Woman – Ek aadmi par 5 kilo.
Reporter- 2 aadmi par 10 kilo, 2 kg chawal 3 kg gehu.?
Woman – Chawal lo ya anaj lo, humto chawal le letey hain
Reporter- Wo kya rate de dogi aap, hame chaiye kharidna hai hamko?
Woman – Abhi to mile nahi hain.
Reporter- Nahi jab milenge tab?
Woman – Jab milenge tab le lena.
Reporter- Kis rate mein?
Woman – Hum to 20 bhi de deven hai…hum hain Hindu hum to apna khane k liye hi kar letey hain…jaise koi aata hai to de detey hain 2 kg 2.5 kg.. waise koi zaroorat nahi hai..
[The exchange above is casual, with no sense of secrecy. She discussed rates, quantities, and supply gaps with the ease of someone long familiar with this informal marketplace—where welfare grain becomes trade stock depending on timing and need. This quiet admission shows how the public distribution system doubles as a parallel economy.]
In the same lane, Tehelka encountered yet another woman who said she was a recipient of free ration under the government scheme. She declined to share her name but readily admitted to selling her subsidised rice in the open market at Rs 25 per kilo. When we expressed interest in buying, she agreed—though only for rice, not wheat—and settled on a rate of Rs 30 per kilo.
What stood out was how seamlessly the negotiation unfolded.
Reporter – Aap kya leti ho free mein?
Woman (unidentified beneficiary) – Chawal bhi.. ration bhi..
Reporter- Chawal aur gehu dono milte hain?
Woman – Haan hamare 4-5 log hain.. 15 gehu.. 15 chawal aata hai.
Reporter- Free mein aata hoga ye to..?
Woman – Haan.
Reporter- Hame chawal aur gehu dono chaiye?
Woman – Dono nahi denge.
Reporter- Ek de dogi?
Woman -Haan.. hum chawal beche.. Rs 25 kilo.
Reporter- Chawal bechte ho 25 kilo..theek hai hamko har mahine chahiye hoga.
Woman – Milega to de denge.
Reporter- Theek hai wahi Rs 25 per kg?
Broker- Zyada de dena gareeb aadmi hai.
Reporter- Chalo theek hai 30 rupees per kg le lenge..
[What stood out in the conversation above was how seamlessly the negotiation unfolded. The ration grain was treated not as sustenance but as tradable stock, with price, availability, and quantity all being freely discussed.]
In the same lane, we met yet another woman who said she was a beneficiary of the government’s free ration scheme. She, too, declined to disclose her name but admitted she regularly sells her allotted rice in the open market at Rs 25 per kilo. She revealed that last month’s supply had already been sold to a local shopkeeper and added that buyers often come directly to their homes. When we proposed a regular deal at Rs 30 per kilo, she agreed without hesitation.
Reporter- Kya rate bechti ho aap? Chawal ?
Woman – Dukandar to 25 hi debey hai.
Reporter- Dukandar 25, lekin hum lagatar lenge aapse?
Woman – Theek hai.
Reporter- Har mahine Rs 30 rate le lena aap humse. Aap kahan bechti ho? dukan par?
Woman – Nahi nahi aap ghar se le jana.
Reporter- Ghar se?
Woman – Ghar se bhi le jawen hai, dukan se bhi.
Woman (continues)–Ab pata lag gaya, ab tumhe de diya karenge .
Reporter- Chawal dekhne ko mil sakta hai.?.. quality kaisi hai ?
Woman – Ab to bech diye.. saath ke saath bech detey hain.
Woman (continues)- Hamare bacche khate nahi hai.. isliye hum haath k haath bech dein choon le lein dukan se.
[The short exchange shows a local trade where ration grain quietly moves from home to home, mixing personal need with small-time selling—quickly and casually. The grain meant for hunger relief is quietly absorbed into a neighbourhood economy.]
Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), more than 80 crore people across the country are receiving free ration. The main objective of this scheme is to provide essential food items to the poor and needy families. However, it has come to light that many beneficiaries are selling their free ration in the open market, and a significant number of ineligible individuals are also taking advantage of this welfare scheme. Tehelka‘s investigation into PMGKAY, which captures beneficiaries on camera selling free ration, serves as a shocking eye-opener. This widespread abuse calls for urgent action from the government to ensure that the scheme benefits those who truly need it, and to curb this growing black market trade. The time to act is now.
