Expressing unhappiness over the states’ “apathy” towards improving the public distribution system despite repeated orders while food stocks were rotting at several places, the Supreme Court on Thursday set the states a tight deadline of one week to respond on the supply of rations to BPL and AAY families.
Making it clear that the below-poverty-line (BPL) and Antyodaya Ann Yojna (AAY) families have to be given uninterrupted food supply in the specified quantity of 35 kg every month at Rs 2 per kg, a bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma said, “When the food stock is going down the drain, give it free of cost to hungry populations in tribal and drought-prone areas.”
In a series of directions, the apex court said the government must expedite computerisation of the entire PDS in all 35 states and Union Territories covering all BPL and AAY families.