Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana launched by the central government

Current Context: An integrated food security program called Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) was introduced by the Indian Central Government in January 2023. More than 80 crore underprivileged individuals in the country are to receive free food grains as part of the program.

• The program was implemented in response to opposition criticism of the government's decision to end the free monthly distribution of 5 kilograms of food grains to the impoverished under the PMGKAY program. In reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, the previous program began in April 2020 and lasted until December 2022.
• The Central Government made the decision to combine PMGKAY with two already-existing food subsidy programs. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), the new comprehensive program for food security, went into effect on January 1, 2023.
• According to their entitlement under the National Food Security Act, the needy recipients of the new program would receive free food grains (NFSA).
• For priority households, each person is entitled to 5 kilograms of food per month, whereas Antodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) families are entitled to 35 kg per family per month.
• The NFSA participants received their allotted foodgrains at a heavily subsidized rate of 1, 2, and 3 per kg for coarse cereals, wheat, and rice, respectively, until December 2022. But starting in January 2023, the recipients will receive it at no cost.
• To ease the financial burden on the poor, the Central Government will spend more than 2 lakh crore on food subsidies under the NFSA and other welfare programs in 2023.
• For a seamless rollout of the new program, officials from the ministry and the state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) often communicate with state government officials.

Question: 

Q.1 Which of the following best describes the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY)?
a. A scheme to provide free education to poor children in India
b. A scheme to provide free healthcare to poor people in India
c. An integrated food security scheme launched by the Central Government of India to provide free foodgrains to more than 80 crore poor people across the country
d. A scheme to provide financial assistance to small and medium businesses in India