Question : FOODGRAINS FOR WELFARE INSTITUTIONS

(a) whether the Union Government has issued any direction to provide 15 kg. foodgrains per month at Below Poverty Line rates to the beneficiaries living in madarsas, old age homes, orphanages being run by social institutions and to students living in meant for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in the States;

(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of beneficiaries identified and foodgrains allocated during the last three years, State-wise;

(c) whether the allocation made for Madhya Pradesh during the said period has been much less than its requirement as per the entitlement;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor alongwith the corrective steps taken in this regard; and

(e) the time by which the Government proposes to allocate adequate quantity of foodgrains for the schemes?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)

(a)&(b): The Government of India allocates food grains for Welfare Institutions to meet the requirement of beggar homes, orphanages, homes for nari-niketans, etc. sponsored by the State Governments and concerned administrative Ministry of Government of India. Initially allocations were made @ 15 kg per person per month. However, as per the recommendations of Parliamentary Standing Committee for Food, allocation under Welfare institutions was reviewed and rationalized in August 2005 on the basis of average offtake of food grains by the States. Under SC/ST/OBC Hostels Scheme, hostels having 2/3rd students belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories are eligible to get 15 kg food grains per resident per month for ten months. Data on actual number of beneficiaries identified by the State Governments/ UT Administrations under these schemes are not available. State-wise allocation of food grains made by the Government during the last three years – 2008-09, 2009-10 & 2010-11 under the above schemes is Annexed.

(c)to(e): Madhya Pradesh has been lifting lower than the allocated quantity of food grains under the Welfare institutions scheme. During 2011-12, the State has been allocated 5233.60 tons of wheat after adjusting unspent balance from previous allocations available with the State Government. In the case of SC/ST/OBC Hostels Scheme, an allocation of 24,731 tons of wheat and 4,364 tons of rice was made to the State during 2008-09. The State Government did not lift allocated food grains. The State Government was also requested for indicating fresh demand for allocation of food grains under the Scheme, but no proposal has been received from Madhya Pradesh.

As the offtake under these schemes by most of the States/UTs is lower than allocation made to them, adequate food grains are made available.