Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

4.11 Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

Description

Quick Overview

The Antyodaya Anna Yojana, launched in December 2000, aims to provide food security to the poorest families identified through a Below Poverty Line survey.

Standard

Launched in December 2000, the Antyodaya Anna Yojana focuses on providing subsidized food grains to the poorest families below the poverty line. Initially, one crore families were targeted, with quantities of food extended over the years to ensure that more families benefit from the scheme.

Detailed

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) was launched in December 2000 with the primary objective of ensuring food security among the poorest sections of society. The scheme was directed towards identifying and assisting one crore of the most impoverished families listed under the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, as determined by state-level rural development departments through a BPL survey.

Under the AAY, each eligible family receives 25 kilograms of foodgrains at highly subsidized rates of ₹2 per kg for wheat and ₹3 per kg for rice. This initial allocation of food was increased to 35 kg per family starting in April 2002, reflecting the government's commitment to addressing food insecurity among the poorest families.

The initiative saw further expansion, as additional targets of 50 lakh families were included in June 2003 and August 2004, ultimately reaching a total of 2 crore families covered under the program. The AAY is a landmark step in India's efforts to fight poverty and ensure that no family goes hungry.

Key Concepts

  • Identification of Poor Families: The core activity of the AAY, where families are identified based on BPL surveys.

  • Subsidized Food Program: The provision of food at significantly reduced prices to ensure accessibility for the poorest households.

Memory Aids

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • AAY helps the poor buy grain, at ₹2 and ₹3, such a gain!

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once upon a time, in a land where many families struggled, AAY came to the rescue by providing them with affordable grains, thus ensuring they didn't have to go hungry.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • AAY = Affordable And Yummy (for food grains).

🎯 Super Acronyms

AAY = Antyodaya Anna Yojana - AAY is for the poorest of the poor.

Examples

  • AAY provides wheat at ₹2 per kg and rice at ₹3 per kg, ensuring poor families can access these staples.

  • The program began with 1 crore families but was expanded to 2 crore families, illustrating responsiveness to poverty levels.

Glossary of Terms

  • Term: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

    Definition:

    A government scheme launched in December 2000 aimed at providing food security to the poorest families below the poverty line.

  • Term: Below Poverty Line (BPL)

    Definition:

    A classification of people whose income falls below a specific threshold deemed necessary to obtain basic necessities.

  • Term: Food Security

    Definition:

    The state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

  • Term: Subsidized Food Grains

    Definition:

    Food grains provided at a lower cost than the market price, aimed at making them accessible to poorer sections of society.