(a) whether the Government has effected a cut in the allocation of foodgrains to the States
including Gujarat and Kerala;
(b) if so, the details thereof, and the reasons therefor, indicating the quantum of foodgrains
allocated to the States during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
(c) whether requests have been received from the States for restoration of the foodgrains
quota; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION(PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) to (d): Under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), allocations of foodgrains for
Below Poverty Line (BPL) families including Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families are made to
all the States/UTs, including the States of Gujarat and Kerala @ 35 kg. per family per month on
the basis of 1993-94 poverty estimates of the Planning Commission projected on March 2000
population estimates of the Registrar General of India or the number of families actually
identified and ration cards issued to them by State/UT Governments, whichever is less.
Keeping in view then lower stock of foodgrains, allocation of wheat and rice for APL category
was rationalized with effect from June 2006 and April 2007 respectively by linking them to
offtake of previous three years. Further, allocation of rice for APL category for 2008-09
was made on the basis of its average offtake during 2006-07 and 2007-08.However, taking into
consideration the availability of stocks of foodgrains in the Central Pool, additional
allocations of foodgrains have been made to States/UTs, including Kerala and Gujarat under
APL category during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Presently, these allocations of foodgrains
range between 15 kg and 35 kg per family per month in different States/UTs.
State-wise details of the allocation of foodgrains under TPDS during the last three years and
the current year are as per Annex.
Requests have been received from time to time from different States/UTs for
increase/additional allocation of foodgrains to meet their requirement. Considering these
requests and availability of stocks in the Central Pool, Government has made additional
allocations. During the current calendar year, following adhoc additional allocations have
been made to the States/UT:
1) A quantity of 36.08 lakh tons of foodgrains was allocated to States/UTs, including Gujarat
and Kerala in January 2010 at MSP based/derived prices for distribution to all AAY/BPL/APL
families under TPDS for two months.
2) Special adhoc allocation of 30.66 lakh tons of foodgrains was made to States/UTs, including
Gujarat and Kerala in May 2010 for all accepted number of BPL/AAY/APL families under TPDS @
Rs.8.45 per kg for wheat and Rs.11.85 per kg for rice.
3) 27.41 lakh tons of foodgrains allocated on 2nd August 2010 @ 4.57 lakh tons per month for
six months to 22 States/UTs, including Gujarat and Kerala to ensure 15 kg foodgrains per
family/month from August 2010.
4) 3.65 lakh tons of foodgrains allocated on 3rd August 2010 to ensure 35 kg of foodgrains in
NE States of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim & hilly States of Himachal Pradesh
& Uttarakhand for six months from August, 2010.
5) A quantity of 25.00 lakh tons of have been allocated for BPL families at BPL prices to all
States/UTs in September, 2010 for distribution for the next six months.