More foodgrains for BPL families
The government in principle decided to enhance allocation of foodgrains under the PDS for the BPL families but is yet to take a view on doing away with APL allocation as desired by the Supreme Court.
An empowered group of ministers on food, which met on Monday, deliberated on the issue and is expected to submit its response to the top court soon. While enhancing the allocation for the BPL will increase the food subsidy, rationalisation of the APL allocation should help the government save more grains for the poor. But recently, the food ministry announced that it would offload 4.57 lakh tonnes of foodgrains at cheaper rates for the next six months to APL families getting below 15 kg per month.
Concerned over low off take of the APL allocation, the Supreme Court had asked the government to consider disbanding the practice of providing cheaper foodgrains to APL families and restrict the facility instead to the BPL only. The Supreme Court had made observations in view of the reported leaks in the PDS.
Under the PDS, the government provides foodgrains to 11.5 crore above poverty line (APL) families. At present, an APL family on an average gets about 10 kg of rice and wheat per month at a subsidised rate of Rs 8.30 per kg and Rs 6.10 per kg, respectively.
The PDS currently caters to around 6.5 crore BPL families, whose numbers may go up to 8.1 crore as suggested by the Planning Commission.
The Supreme Court had also pulled up the government on huge wastage of the foodgrains due to shortage of storage space.
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