MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) Government allocates foodgrains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) at the rate of 35 kg per family per month to States
and Union Territories (UTs) for distribution to 6.52 crore accepted number of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, which includes about 2.43
crore Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families. Statement showing State/UT-wise number of BPL and AAY families as on 31.12.2013 is at Annex-I.
Further, Government has notified the National Food Security Act, 2013 on 10th September, 2013, which inter alia provides a right to the eligible households
to receive subsidized foodgrains under TPDS. The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural and upto 50% of the urban population at the all India
level. Every person belonging to priority household is entitled to receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month. The existing AAY households will
continue to receive 35 kg of foodgrains per household per month. The coverage of population under TPDS in the Act has been delinked from poverty estimates.
(b) to (d) Some State/UTs are distributing quantities less than the quantities allocated by the Government to the TPDS beneficiaries as they have issued
ration cards in excess of the accepted numbers of beneficiaries. In terms of the Public Distribution System (Control) Order 2001, State/UT Governments
are to review the lists of BPL and AAY families every year for the purpose of deletion of ineligible families and inclusion of eligible families. Keeping
in view the availability of stocks and requirements/requests received from States/UTs, Government has also been making additional allocation of foodgrains
over and above the normal allocation under TPDS.
The lifting of foodgrains allocated under TPDS varies from State to State. Details of the quantities of foodgrains allocated and their offtake for the
last three years and the current year are given at Annex- II and III. However, details of the quantity of foodgrains distributed by States/UTs to the
intended beneficiaries are not maintained in the Department.
Government has been urging States/UTs to lift their entire allocated quota of foodgrains through quarterly advisories, individual letters, various
conferences and periodical meetings with them. Utilization Certificates are also obtained from States/UTs in respect of the foodgrains allocated to
them under TPDS.
