(a) the total quantum of foodgrains produced and procured by the Government and the manner in which the same were utilised indicating the quantum allocated under Public Distribution System (PDS) during each of the last three years; and
(b) the targets fixed for procurement of foodgrains during the ensuing year and the manner in which the same are proposed to be utilised including the quantum proposed to be distributed through PDS?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAOSAHEB PATIL DANVE)
(a): Details of quantum of foodgrains produced, procured and allocations made under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) during last three years at Annexure-I.
(b): Government does not fix any targets for procurement of foodgrains, rather, State Governments make an estimation of the procurement likely to take place in a given marketing season and then All India estimates of procurement are finalised by the Central Government in a meeting of the State Food Secretaries before the onset of each Marketing Season. Actual procurement of foodgrains varies from these estimates depending on the crop situation and prevailing market price trends. It is too early to fix target for procurement of foodgrain during ensuing year. For 2014-15, Government has provisionally allocated a quantity of 586.8 lakh tons of foodgrains, which includes normal TPDS allocation of 483.30 lakh tons (including allocation under National Food Security Act, 2013), 66.45 lakh tons of additional Above Poverty Line (APL) and Below Poverty Line (BPL) allocation including 50 lakh tons of rice approved in July, 2014 for APL and BPL families, 7.11 lakh tons for festival, calamities etc. and 29.28 lakh tons under Other Welfare Scheme (OWS).