States have not picked up 42 lakh tonnes of foodgrains for PDS

The Centre today said states have not lifted about 42 lakh tonnes of foodgrains from their allocated quotas during 2008-09 for supply towards various schemes under the public distribution system.

Out of the allocation of 387.76 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice, states have lifted 346 lakh tonnes during 2008-09, Minister of State for Food and Agriculture K V Thomas told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.     

States have picked up 156.55 lakh tonnes of foodgrains out of 174.05 lakh tonnes allocated to them for supply to the families below the poverty line (BPL).

Similarly, they have lifted 94.20 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice from the central pool meant for people above the poverty line (APL) out of the grant of 111.75 lakh tonnes.

Moreover, while 101.95 lakh tonnes of the foodgrains were allocated by the Centre for the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families that cover the poorest of the poor, the states have lifted 95.24 lakh tonnes.

"Various reasons... (that) include resource crunch faced by state/Union Terrotory governments, delay in payment to FCI, non-availability of railway rakes for movement, administrative or infrastructural problems created by natural calamities, bandhs, blockades etc (contributed to the non-lifting of the foodgrains," Thomas said.

About 24.21 crore families across the country have been granted ration cards.