Centre Orders Advance Lifting of Food Grains Under NFSA Till June 2026
New Delhi, March 2: The Government of India has directed all States and Union Territories to lift food grains allocated under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in advance up to June 2026 and ensure their immediate distribution to beneficiaries.
The directive was issued by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in view of the upcoming procurement season and the possible logistical and storage challenges faced by States and UTs.
According to the official communication, States and UTs have been advised to lift the food grains allocated for the period from April to June 2026 in advance and distribute them among eligible beneficiaries without delay. The distribution process for these months should be completed immediately after the lifting of the stocks.
The Centre has also instructed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to ensure sufficient availability of food grains in its godowns and coordinate closely with State governments to facilitate smooth advance lifting of the stocks.
At the same time, the order clarified that monthly transactions and beneficiary authentication processes should continue to be carried out independently for each month as per the existing system.
The communication was issued with the approval of the competent authority, Under Secretary to the Government of India.
