Lok Sabha Question No. 2824 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-20
Subject: Prices of Foodgrains for BPL and APL Families
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Kalaben Mohanbhai Delkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## INISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRSI FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2824 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH DECEMBERI 2023

## PRICES OF FOODGRAINS FOR BPL AND APL  FAMILIES

## 12824. SHRIMATI DELKAR KALABEN MOHANBHAI:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER  AFFAIRS1  FOOD  AND PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTION  WWF  TH&l aTV aT RT8Tfqq, R(wr  ++  be pleased  tO state:

- (a) the percentage of population living Below Poverty Line (BPL) in different parts of the country including Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Dill, especially in backward rural areas along with  the total  percentage of the said population in the country;
- (b) whether the prices of  commodities are almost equal to  the open market prices in  fair  price shops which provide foodgrains and other
- essential items for people living Above Poverty Line (APL);
- (c) if  so, whether the Government has taken or proposes to take any measures to  reduce the prices  of foodgrains, sugar, kerosene for BPL and APL families under the Public Distribution System; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT  AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS! FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a):  The number of persons living below poverty line in India has been estimated to be 27 crore (21.92%) in 2011-12, according to the erstwhile Planning Commission. State/UT-wise details of population (including Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Dill) living below poverty line  as  per this estimate, is at Annexure.

Further, NITI Aayog released the National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023 on 17th July  2023. As per this  report  13.5 crore people escaped "Multidimensional Poverty" between 2015-16 and 2019-21. A  steep decline has been reported in  number of  multi dimensionally  poor from  24.85% to 14.96% between  2015-16 and 2019-21.

(b)  to (d): Under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna  Yojana (PMGKAY), foodgrains, free of cost, are being provided to States/UTs for distribution  to around 80 erore beneficiaries through Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) ensures coverage upto 7594 of  the rural population and  upto 509G of  the  urban population for  receiving foodgrains (ricel  wheat  &  coarsegrains). Eligible families comprise of Priority Households (PHH)  and  Antyodaya  Anna Yojana (AAY) families  and there are no APL or BPL categories. The Priority Households are entitled  to receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month and the families  covered under the AAY receive 35 kg of foodgrains per month per family. Under the Public Distribution System (PDS), foodgrains were provided at subsidized prices upto December, 2022. However, w.e.f. 1 st January, 2023, foodgrains are being distributed  to eligible  beneficiaries free  of cost  under  PMGKAY.

Keeping in view the welfare of the beneficiaries of PMGKAY in terms of accessibility, affordability and availability of food grains for the poor and to maintain uniformity across the States, the  Government has decided to continue to provide free food grains to about 81,.35 crore beneficiaries (i.e. Antyodaya Anna Yojana  (AAY) households and Priority  Households (PHH) beneficiaries) under the PMGKAY for a period of five years with effect from lst  January, 2024, with  an estimated financial outlay of  Rs. 11.80 lakh crore totally  to be borne by the Central Government.

The provision of free food grains under PMGKAY for five years with effect from 1 st January 2024 reflects the long-term commitment and vision of the Government for addressing National food and nutrition security. Provision of free food grains shall mitigate any financial hardship of the affected strata  of society  in a sustainable manner and ensure long term pricing strategy with zero cost to the beneficiaries which is vital for effective penetration of the Public Distribution System.

Further, the Central Government under the scheme Sugar Subsidy Payable under PDS for  AAY Families with  effect  from  1.6.2017, is reimbursing sugar subsidy to the participating  States/ UTs @ Rs. 18.50 per kg for coverage of AAY families @ 1 kg of sugar per family  per month to the participating States/UTs. Under the  sugar subsidy scheme, the State Governments /UTs are required to  procure sugar from the open market through a transparent system and make it  available to  the  beneficiaries under the PDS. The role of Central Government is limited  to providing the agreed amount of subsidy. The operational responsibilities  for allocation of food-grains including  sugar within  the States/UTs, to eligible  beneficiaries and supervision over and monitoring of  functioning of  Fair Price Shops (FPSs)/ Rashan Dukan etc,  rest with  the concerned  State/UT Governments.

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## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  to (d)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2824 FOR ANSWER ON 20.12.2023 IN THE LOK SABHA.

## Number and Percentage of Population below poverty line by states - 2011-

## 12

## (Tendulkar Methodology)

| S. No.   |                   | Rural          | Rural                | Urban   | Urban   | Total          | Total                |
|----------|-------------------|----------------|----------------------|---------|---------|----------------|----------------------|
| S. No.   | States            | IVo of Persons | No. of Persons lakhs |         |         | 9/o of Persons | No. of Persons lakhs |
| 1        | AndhraPradesh     | 10.96          | ali                  | 75      | 16.98   | 9.20           | 78.78                |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 38.93          | 4.25                 | 20.33   | 0.66    | 34.67          | 4.91                 |
| 3        | Assam             | 33.89          | 92.06                | 20.49   | 9.21    | 31.98          | 101.27               |
| 4        | Bihar             | 34.06          | 320.40               | 3 1.23  | 37.75   | 33.74          | 358.15               |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 44.61          | 88.90                | 24.75   | 15.22   | 39.93          | 104. 1 1             |
| 6        | Delhi             | 12.92          | 0.50                 | 9.84    | 16.46   | 9.91           | 16.96                |
| 7        | Goa               | 6.81           | 0.37                 | 4.09    | 0.38    | 5.09           | 0.75                 |
| 8        | Gujarat           | 21.54          | 75.35                | 10.14   | 26.88   | 16.63          | 102.23               |
| 9        | Haryana           | 11.64          | 19.42                | 10.28   | 9.41    | 11.16          | 28.83                |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh  | 8.48           | 5.29                 | 4.33    | 0.30    | 8.06           | 5.59                 |
| 11       | Jammu& Kashmir    | 11.54          | 10.73                | 7.20    | 2.53    | 10.35          | 13.27                |
| 12       | Jharkhand         | 40.84          | 104.09               | 24.83   | 20.24   | 36.96          | 124.33               |
| 13       | Karnataka         | 24.53          | 92.80                | 15.25   | 36.96   | n2             | 129.76               |
| 14       | Kerala            | 9.14           | 15.48                | 4.97    | 8.46    | 7.05           | 23.95                |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh    | 35.74          | 190.95               | 21.00   | 43.10   | 3 1 .65        | 234.06               |
| 16       | Maharashtra       | 24.22          | 150.56               | 9.12    | 47.36   | 17.35          | 197.92               |
| 17       | Manipur           | 38.80          | 7.45                 | 32.59   | 2.78    | 36.89          | 10.22                |
| 18       | Meghalaya         | 12.53          | 3.04                 | 9.26    | 0.57    | 11.87          | 3.61                 |
| 19       | Mizoram           | 35.43          | 1.91                 | 6.36    | 0.37    | 20.40          | 2.27                 |
| 20       | Nagaland          | 19.93          | 2.76                 | 16.48   | 1.00    | 18.88          | 3.76                 |
| 21       | Odisha            | 35.69          | 126.14               | 17.29   | 12.39   | 32.59          | 138.53               |
| 22       | Punjab            | 7.66           | 13.35                | 9.24    | 9.82    | 8.26           | 23.18                |
| 23       | Rajasthan         | 16.05          | 84.19                | 10.69   | 18.73   | 14.71          | 102.92               |
| 24       | Sikkim            | 9.85           | 0.45                 | 3.66    | 0.06    | 8.19           | 0.51                 |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu        | 15.83          | 59.23                | 6.54    | 23.40   | 11.28          | 82.63                |

| 26   | Tripura                  | 16.53   | 4.49   | 7.42   | 0.75   | 14.05   |    5.24 |
|------|--------------------------|---------|--------|--------|--------|---------|---------|
| 27   | Uttarakhand              | 11 .62  | 8.25   | 10.48  | 3.35   | 11.26   |   11.6  |
| 28   | Uttar Pradesh            | 30.40   | 479.35 | 26.06  | 118.84 | 29.43   |  598.19 |
| 29   | West Bengal              | 22.52   | 141.14 | 14.66  | 43.83  | 19.98   |  184.98 |
| 30   | Puducherry               | 17.06   | 0.69   | 6.30   | 0.55   | 9.69    |    1.24 |
| 31   | Andaman& Nicobar Islands | 1.57    | 0.04   | 0.00   | 0.00   | 1.00    |    0.04 |
| 32   | Chandigarh               | 1.64    | 0.004  | n2     | 2.34   | 21.81   |    2.35 |
| 33   | Dadra & Nagar Haveli     | 62.59   | 1.15   | 15.38  | 0.28   | 39.3 1  |    1.43 |
| 34   | Daman & Diu              | 0.00    | 0.00   | 12.62  | 0.26   | 9.86    |    0.26 |
| 35   | Lakshadweep              | 0.00    | 0.00   | 3.44   | 0.02   | 2.77    |    0.02 |
|      | n                        |         | 5mm3m  |        |        |         | 2697.83 |

Notes:  1. Population as on 1  st March  2012 has been used for  estimating  number of persons below poverty line. (2011 Census population  extrapolated)

2. Poverty line of Tamil Nadu has been used for Andaman and Nicobar Island.
2. 3 . Urban Poverty Line of Punjab has been used for  both rural and urban areas ofChandigarh.
4. Poverty Line of Maharashtra  has been used for Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
4. 5 . Poverty line of  Goa has been used for Daman &  Diu.
6. Poverty Line  of  Kerala has been used for  Lakshadweep.

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