Question : Items under PDS

(a) whether the Government allocates foodgrains and other items to the States under the Public Distribution System (PDS) as per their demand;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the details and the salient features of the present policy for allocation under PDS indicating the quantum of various items allocated and lifted by States during the last three years;

(c) whether requests have been received to include more items under PDS, if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; and

(d) whether the Government has any proposal to limit the PDS exclusively to those possessing the Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards or initiate a new scheme exclusively for this section, if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)
(a) & (b): Under the existing Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), States/Union Territories(UTs) are allocated foodgrains @ 35 kg per family per month to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) [including Antryodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)] families as per 1993-94 poverty estimates of Planning Commission and March, 2000 population estimates of Registrar General of India (RGI). Allocation to Above Poverty Line (APL) families is made @ 10 to 35 kg per family per month. Considering the demands received from States/UTs, the Government has been making additional allocation of foodgrains for BPL and APL families. The States/UTs who have implemented National Food Security Act (NFSA) are allocated foodgrains under TPDS @ 5 kg per month per person belonging to priority category and @ 35 kg per family per month for AAY category as per their entitlement under the Act at highly subsidized rates i.e. Re.1 per kg, Rs.2/- per kg and Rs.3/- per kg for coarsegrains, wheat and rice respectively.
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The Government has decontrolled the sugar sector by removing the levy obligation on sugar mills from 2012-13 sugar seasons. Under the new dispensation, to make sugar available in the PDS at the existing retails issue price of Rs.13.50 per kg, the State Governments/UT Administrations have been asked to procure it from the open market. The Government is reimbursing sugar subsidy to the States/UTs @ Rs.18.50 per kg limited to the quantity based on their existing allocation.

The Government also makes allocation of PDS Kerosene(SKO) to States/UTs on gross basis for the purpose of cooking and illumination only. Further distribution of the kerosene under PDS is the responsibility of the State/UT Government. The scale and criteria of PDS SKO distribution are also decided by the respective State/UT. PDS SKO allocation to various States/UTs has been rationalized from time to time by taking into account various factors-increase in domestic LPG and PNG connection, non-lifting of PDS SKO quota by the States/UTs concerned, upper limit on the per capita SKO allocation for non-LPG and PNG population.

State-wise details of allocation and offtake of foodgrains and kerosene and allocation and distribution of sugar during the last three years at Annex-I to VI.

(c): Suggestions have been received from time to time for inclusion of items such as pulses, edible oils, etc in TPDS. However, there is no such proposal under consideration of the Government at present. In this regard, State/UT Governments have been encouraged to enlarge the basket of commodities by adding non-PDS items for sale through fair price shops (FPSs). Some of the States/UTs have reported distribution of non-PDS items like pulses, edible oils, iodized salt, spices, etc. through PDS outlets.

(d): There is no such proposal.

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