Subsidised grain for non-poor families to continue

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Thursday approved the continued allocation of subsidised grain to above poverty line families during 2013-14 under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), an official statement said.

Expecting sufficient stocks of foodgrains in the central pool, the CCEA approved additional allocation of 41.89 lakh tonnes of wheat and 19.84 lakh tonnes of rice at APL issue prices to states and union territories (UTs).

This will ensure a minimum 15 kg per family per month in 22 states/UTs and 35 kg per family per month in 13 other states - Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh and UTs of Lakshdweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said the statement.

As on April 1, 2013, the total stocks of food grain in the central pool was 596.75 lakh tonnes comprising 354.68 lakh tonnes of rice and 242.07 lakh tonnes of wheat.

The procurement during the year is expected to be 401.3 lakh tonnes for rice and 441.21 lakh tonnes for wheat, said officials.