(a) the reasons for the poor off-take of foodgrains allotted to States under Public Distribution System;
(b) the steps contemplated or are being taken to ensure that State lift their full allotment and that the benefits of the system reach the targetted sections of the people fully; and
(c) the details regarding effect of poor off-take by States on people below poverty line and also on Anytodaya Anna Yojana?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( SHRI SRIRAM CHAUHAN )
(a),(b)&(c): Offtake of foodgrains from the Public Distribution System is dependent, among
other factors, on the difference between the open market prices and the PDS end retail prices.
Under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) the Central Issue Prices of foodgrains
meant for distribution to the families living below poverty line have been kept at levels
which are lower than the market prices to ensure higher offtake. The offtake for BPL families
has been about 80% of the allotment during 1999-2000. The offtake of foodgrains under BPL
category has been about 66.3% of the allotments during 2000-2001.
The allotment for BPL families was increased from 10 kg. to 20 kg. of foodgrains per family
per month at 50% of economic cost from 1.4.2000. Since then the offtake for the year 2000-2001
was 5874.682 tonnes in rice and 3645.828 tonnes in wheat as compared 3976.380 tonnes in rice
and 3018.309 tonnes in wheat during 1999-2000 under BPL category. Although the increase in
offtake during 2000-2001 has not been proportionate to the doubling of allotments made during
the year there has been an increase in offtake under this category during 2000-2001 as
compared to 1999-2000. Hence the offtake under the BPL category should not be regarded as poor.
The Antyodaya Anna Yojana was launched for the poorest of the poor who are not in a
position to buy foodgrains round the year even at BPL rates. Foodgrains @ 25 kg. per family per
month are being provided to them at highly subsidised rates of Rs. 2 a kg. for wheat and
Rs. 3 a kg. for rice since March 2001. Provisional offtake figures during the first quarter
of 2001-2002 indicate that offtake of rice has been approximately 96% and that of wheat
approximately 73% of the allotments made under the scheme.
The offtake of foodgrains under the APL category is reduced after the increase in
Central Issue Price (CIP) w.e.f. 1.4.2000 and withdrawal of subsidy. Keeping in view the low
offtake of foodgrains in respect of APL families, the Government has decided to allot foodgrains
for APL families at the discounted rate of 70% of the economic cost and increase the allotment
for BPL families from 20 kg. to 25 kg. per family per month w.e.f. 12.7.2001.