New Delhi: The government will provide
from October 2 subsidised wheat and rice to additional 1.5
crore poor families, Food Minister Sharad Pawar said Tuesday.
The subsidised foodgrain to the additional households,
taking the total to 8.07 crore in the list of Below Poverty
Line, would be given through the public distribution system
where poor get wheat at Rs 4.15 per kg and rice at Rs 5.65 kg.
"We are expecting the new list of BPL families to be
published from the Planning Commission in the next week's
time. If the list comes and the state governments are ready, I
will be happy to execute the new BPL list from October 2,"
Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said after the
function on revamping the public distribution system (PDS).
The Planning Commission has given an approximate figure
of 8.07 crore BPL families based on estimated 2011 population,
he said, adding that if this list comes, then both the Centre
and the states should be prepared.
Pawar also announced that the state governments will
ensure doorstep delivery of foodgrains to ration shops (Fair
Price Shops) with effect from October 2.
The Centre has recently taken up the exercise to revise
the estimate of number of poor people in view of the proposed
Food Security Act, which promises assured quantity of
foodgrains to BPL families.
At present, the government is supplying every month about
35 kg of rice and wheat at subsidised rates to each poor
family under BPL and AAY category. Rice is sold at Rs 5.65 kg
and wheat at Rs 4.15 kg to BPL families, while at Rs 3 and Rs
2, respectively, for AAY families.
The minister also said that the state governments may
adopt innovate ways for supply of foodgrains to poor, enhance
viability of ration shops by allowing sale of non-PDS items,
and roll out technology-based initiative for effective
delivery of foodgrains and others.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 21:17