Indian business media, fiscal coverage
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Business Standard (FY2026 food subsidy) · India · India's free grain scheme reaches 813 million people as government tests digital food tokens and rewrites the ration law
Union Budget FY2026-27 (February 1, 2026) allocated Rs 2,28,500 crore (Rs 2.285 lakh crore) for the food subsidy, covering PMGKAY grain procurement from FCI, storage and movement costs, and the economic cost differential. The food subsidy is the third-largest line item in the central budget after interest payments and defence. Notes that FCI's grain stocks at 604 lakh tonnes as of April 1 provide ample headroom, and that any [[india-monsoon-2026-kharif|kharif deficit]] threatening procurement in the 2026-27 season would force either drawdown of buffer stocks or a supplementary allocation.
“The FY2026-27 budget allocated Rs 2.285 lakh crore for the food subsidy, the third-largest central expenditure item.”