(a) whether the Government have excluded the Income Tax Payers and creamy layer from the
purview of the Public Distribution System;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the steps being taken to ensure that benefits of PDS reaches the poor people; and
(d) the other changes being contemplated to revamp the P.D.S.?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
( SHRI SRIRAM CHAUHAN )
(a) & (b) : The Government have not excluded the Income Tax payers and creamy layer from
the purview of the Public Distribution System for supply of foodgrains, edible oil and kerosene.
However, the State Governments have been asked to identify the Ration card holders having LPG
connection and to discontinue the supply of kerosene to them under PDS. With effect from 1.7.2000 income tax assessees and their family members will not be eligible to draw sugar from
the Public Distribution System.
(c) The Public Distribution System is implemented under the joint responsibility of Central
and State Governments. Identification of BPL families and issue of special cards to them is
done by the State Governments. Detailed guidelines in this respect have already been issued
to State Governments. State Governments have also been requested that all complaints
received regarding non-inclusion of eligible BPL beneficiaries and inclusion of ineligible
consumers in the list of BPL population may be examined and corrective measures taken so that
the eligible families are not deprived of the benefits of TPDS. Further the State Governments
have been requested to closely monitor PDS at Fair Price Shop level and make arrangements for
distribution of PDS commodities in a transparent and accountable manner by involvement of
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Detailed guidelines for greater involvement of PRIs in
the functioning of TPDS have been issued which include identification of BPL families, display
of BPL beneficiaries at Fair Price Shops and Office of Gram Panchayats for public scrutiny.
The Gram Panchayats have been made responsible for checking of Ration cards occasionally for
its genuineness.
(d) Government has adopted measures to better targetise food subsidy and to enhance food
security of the people living Below Poverty Line (BPL). Allocation of foodgrains under TPDS
has been doubled from 10 kg. to 20 kg. per family per month for BPL at 50% of economic cost
and allocation for APL has been maintained at the level being currently given to States at
economic cost w.e.f. 1.4.2000. In order to efficiently reach the essential commodities in
PDS to the consumers in a transparent and accountable manner a Model Citizens` Charter for
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) has also been drawn up and circulated to States/UTs
for adoption. Based on the belief that truly democratic institutions do better safeguard food
security concerns of all than the State bureaucracy, the Government have also advised the State
Governments to more substantially involve Gram Panchayats in supervision and monitoring of PDS
especially at FPS level as a measure of social audit.