NEW DELHI: The government has more than enough stock of foodgrains, which can meet the requirement under National Food Security Act (NFSA), other social welfare schemes and the additional allocation of 5 kg free foodgrain to 80 crore beneficiaries for at least 10 months. It also has the stock of 30 lakh tonnes of whole chana, which is about three times more than what the government will provide for free to 19.55 crore families till November.
Official data show that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has stock of about 82 million tonnes of wheat and paddy and another 16 million tonnes have been given to millers for milling. It requires nearly 5.5 million tonnes of food grains per month to meet the requirement of providing 5 kg foodgrain each to 80 crore beneficiaries under NFSA and social welfare schemes. Going by the allocation of additional 5 kg free food grains per person under PM Gabib Kalyan Ann Yojna during last three months, the government requires another 4 million tonnes.
So far as the stock of whole chana is concerned, officials said nearly 30 lakh tonnes have been stored. Going by the allocation and distribution of one kg pulses each to identified family between April and June and in the past three month, the government would require about 10 lakh tonnes for the next five months.
“The pulses distribution, which was only 7% on May 4, has 80% on Tuesday,” said an official.
Sources said since the migrant worker have reached their native place and most of them are covered under NFSA, the government has not extended the scheme to provide 5 kg free grains per person and 1 kg pulses per family per month. This was applicable only for May and June.
Sources said learning from the experiences of difficulties in processing, meeting the preference of states and distribution of pulses during the past three months, the government has announced to give only whole gram this time. This doesn’t need processing and secondly it has longer shelf life than other processed pulses.
Announcing the extension of this free grain and pulses scheme till November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government will spend more than Rs 90,000 crore for this.
Modi also said the country is moving towards the institution of ‘one nation, one ration card’ which will be of immense benefit to the poor who travel to other states in search of work. Once this scheme is implemented across the country, any NFSA beneficiary can get subsidized food grains from any fair price shop across the country irrespective of his place of origin.
Currently, 20 states have implemented it and by January another 10 states and UTs will join the platform. While there is no timeline for Assam and Lakshdweep, the rest two UTs – Puducherry and Chandigarh – have implemented direct benefit transfer.
Welcoming the announcement, Union food and consumer affairs minister, Ram Vilas Paswan said, “PM has shown his concern for the poor for upcoming Diwali and Chhathpuja. He understands the pain of the poor.”
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