More poor people to get foodgrains from ration shops from October 2

The government will provide from October 2 subsidised wheat and rice to additional 1.5 crore poor families, food minister Sharad Pawar said today.

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.