MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) to (d): Domestic production and projected consumption requirement of
foodgrains (as per the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Department of
Agriculture & Cooperation) during 2004-05 was as below:
Year Foodgrains (Million Tons)
Domestic Production Projected Consumption Requirement Difference
2004-05 198.36 188.38 9.98
The details of the monthly per capita consumption of foodgrains
(constituting cereals and pulses) by the people living below poverty line
(BPL) in 2004-05, derived from NSS 61st Round consumer expenditure data,
Report No. 508(61/1.0/1) are as follows:
Monthly per capita Consumption Rural Urban
BPL APL BPL APL
Quantity (kg) 11.61 13.26 10.52 10.80
The comparatively lower consumption level in case of BPL families
may be due to their lower affordability in purchasing food grains from
sources other than TPDS.
The Central Government makes allocation of foodgrains for Below Poverty
Line (BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) families under the Targeted Public
Distribution System (TPDS), @ 35 kg. per family per month, for 6.52 crore
such families. In the case of APL families the allocations are based on
availability of foodgrains in the Central Pool and past offtake. Presently,
these allocations range between 15 and 35 kg per family per month. In
addition to normal allocations, the Government has, during the last 2 years
and the current year made additional adhoc allocations of foodgrains for BPL
and APL families. During the current year, 100 lakh tons of foodgrains have
been allocated for APL and BPL families.
Government also allocates food grains to States & UTs under other
welfare schemes targeting the BPL families. The Central Government, from
time to time, issues directions to the State/UT Governments to ensure proper
distribution of the allocated food grains by streamlining working of TPDS.
