Govt to maintain existing foodgrains allocation in Food Bill

New Delhi, Feb 14. A day after many states expressed reservation on provisions of the Food Bill, the Centre today assured them it will continue with the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and current foodgrains allocation in the revised Bill. The Bill is likely to be presented in the Budget session of Parliament. Currently, the poorest of poor under AAY are entitled for 35 kg of foodgrains per family every month at a cheapest price of Rs 2/kg wheat and Rs 3/kg rice. "Yesterday, we had lengthy discussion with states. Apart from Tamil Nadu, others have welcomed the bill with their own suggestions...The general feeling among states is that AAY section need to be protected. We also feel the same," Food Minister K V Thomas told reporters here. "States have also suggested protection of current allocation of foodgrains. We are almost agreeable to this, subject to the Cabinet approval," he said while briefing about the outcome of the consultation meeting of state food ministers on the proposed Food Bill. Thomas said the Centre has not yet firmed up its views on providing legal right on the quantity of foodgrains, whether 5kg or 7kg per person a month. "These are policy decisions and will be taken after discussion," he said. The panel has suggested single category classification with uniform entitlement of 5kg per person per month at uniform rate of Rs 2/kg for wheat and Rs 3/kg for rice. Whereas the Centre has proposed 7kg per person to priority households and 3kg per person at half of the support price to general households. On the percentage of population to be covered and subsidised rates of foodgrains under the Bill, Thomas said, "There was no dispute on these issues at all." "By and large, coverage under PDS up to 75 per cent of rural population and 50 per cent of urban population, which comes to 67 per cent of total population, is almost acceptable by states," he said. On states' demand to leave the criteria for determining beneficiaries to themselves, Thomas said, "They will be given freedom." He, however, said the procedure determining which particular section of population is to be included and excluded under the Bill needed to be worked out by states. If implemented, the Bill is estimated to increase the food subsidy expenditure by Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 1.2 lakh crore. Foodgrains requirement due to Food Bill will rise to 60-62 million tonnes from the current level of 55 million tonnes.