A proposal for total additional allocation of 26.5 million tons of rice and wheat covering (i) adhoc additional allocation of foodgrains for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families (ii) increasing monthly allocations for Above Poverty Line (APL) families from 10kg to 15/20 kg and (iii) adhoc additional allocations to APL families at higher prices during 2012-13 was submitted for approval of Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM). This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Prof. K.V. Thomas in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
The Minister said that EGoM approved the continuation of the monthly allocation to APL families at an enhanced level of 15 kgs in 22 States/Union Territories (UTs) and 35 kgs in 13 special category States/UTs during 2012-13. The EGoM however, decided that other proposals for additional allocations be reformulated in consultation with the Department of Expenditure.
Prof Thomas said that Finance Minister in his Budget speech has stated that Government has decided that from 2012-13, subsidies related to food and for administering Food Security Act will be fully provided for. The Government has been providing food grains at highly subsidized prices under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and other Welfare Schemes such as Midday meals scheme, Wheat Based Nutrition Programme under ICDS, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls, etc. which are aimed at providing food security to school children and pregnant and lactating mothers and other poor and vulnerable sections of the society and remove hunger and malnutrition among the targeted population.
The Minister said that EGoM approved the continuation of the monthly allocation to APL families at an enhanced level of 15 kgs in 22 States/Union Territories (UTs) and 35 kgs in 13 special category States/UTs during 2012-13. The EGoM however, decided that other proposals for additional allocations be reformulated in consultation with the Department of Expenditure.
Prof Thomas said that Finance Minister in his Budget speech has stated that Government has decided that from 2012-13, subsidies related to food and for administering Food Security Act will be fully provided for. The Government has been providing food grains at highly subsidized prices under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and other Welfare Schemes such as Midday meals scheme, Wheat Based Nutrition Programme under ICDS, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls, etc. which are aimed at providing food security to school children and pregnant and lactating mothers and other poor and vulnerable sections of the society and remove hunger and malnutrition among the targeted population.