The Jammu's Minister for Food and Supplies, Ajay Sadhotra on Sunday said that the state government had approached the Centre to supply unlifted surplus ration in the central godowns of the country to the people in border and remote areas of J&K on subsidised rates. Participating in the 'meet the press' programme in Jammu on Saturday at the Press Club of Jammu, Mr Sadhotra said that a large quantity of foodgrains had become surplus in the central godowns in the country due to non-lifting by the ration depots. These foodgrain were either eaten up by the rodents or got damaged in due course of time. He said that he had requested the Centre to consider supply of these stocks of foodgrains to the people of border and remote areas in Jammu and Kashmir at subsidised rates. Mr Sadhotra said that the public distribution system in J&K was one of the oldest and best in the country, covering nearly 80 per cent of the population. Forty per cent beneficiares fall in the category below poverty line. He said that during the past four years, the government had opened 466 sale depots to further strengthen the PDS and provide essential commodities to the people at their doorstep. The number of PDS outlets in the state had increased from 3454 in 1996 to 3920 this year. He said and added that the state government annually spent Rs 36.32 crore on PDS. Mr Sadhotra said that the state government had launched a new scheme to provide relief to the destitutes who were above 65 years. Under this scheme, 10 kg of ration per person per month was being provided free of cost. "A survey to identify such citizens is being conducted in the state," he said. So far, 35000 such destitutes have been identified and free ration is being supplies to them. The minister said that according to the Lakkrawalla Committee, the state was shown to have only 25.17 lakh persons below poverty line, which was not correct. He said that after taking up the matter with the Centre by the state government, a fresh survey was conducted, which revealed that 40.86 lakh people live below the poverty line. This revision of figures helped the state in extending the benefit of targeted PDS, which provides for 20 kg food grain per family per month on concessional rate. 5,63,264 families have been benefitted. Bureau Report