Antyodaya Anna Yojana

The Antyodaya Anna Yojana targets the poorest of the poor households that face severe and persistent food insecurity. Introduced in 2000 within the Targeted Public Distribution System, it now operates as a household category under the National Food Security Act, 2013.

Households given priority

Identification guidelines prioritise households whose livelihood, social condition or lack of support makes them especially vulnerable to hunger.

• The target includes landless agricultural labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans, slum dwellers, destitute persons and daily earners in the informal sector.
• Priority is given to households headed by widows, terminally ill persons, persons with disabilities or persons aged 60 years or above when they lack assured means of subsistence or social support.
• Single women and single men without family support or assured means of subsistence are also covered by the vulnerability criteria.
• Households belonging to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, described in the original guidelines as primitive tribal households, receive priority.

Identification and food entitlement

Under Section 10 of the National Food Security Act, 2013, State Governments identify Antyodaya households according to Central Government guidelines and within the number allocated to each State.

• The entitlement is household-based: every identified Antyodaya household receives 35 kilograms of foodgrains per month, irrespective of household size.
• This fixed entitlement distinguishes Antyodaya households from priority households, whose entitlement is calculated per person under the Act.