Lok Sabha Question No. 2673 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Availability of Foodgrains
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2673

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND  AUGUST, 2016

## AVAILABILITY OF FOODGRAINS

## 2673.      SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the comparative figures of per capita availability and consumption of foodgrains in rural and urban areas of the country in 2000-2001 and at present;
- (b) whether foodgrains being provided to families living Below Poverty Line (BPL) is equal to the per capita average consumption in the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to ensure adequate availability of foodgrains in the country ?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a): The per capita net availability of foodgrains for the years 2001, 2005, 2010, 2014 and 2015 is given below. The rural- urban break-up of data is not available.

(Kg. per year)

| Year     |   Per capita net availability of foodgrains |
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
| 2001     |                                       151.9 |
| 2005     |                                       154.2 |
| 2010     |                                       159.5 |
| 2014     |                                       178.6 |
| 2015 (P) |                                       169.8 |

(P) Provisional

As per the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (various rounds) carried out by National  Sample  Survey  Office  (NSSO), between  2004-05  and 2011-12  (latest  available) per capita consumption of cereals and pulses and pulse products is indicated below :

(Kg. per year)

|                         | 2004-05   | 2004-05   | 2009-10   | 2009-10   | 2011-12   | 2011-12   |
|-------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
|                         | Rural     | Urban     | Rural     | Urban     | Rural     | Urban     |
| Cereals                 | 147.46    | 120.94    | 138.08    | 114.05    | 136.51    | 112.91    |
| Pulses & Pulse Products | 8.64      | 9.98      | 7.92      | 9.60      | 9.53      | 10.96     |

Source : Various Rounds of NSSO.

(b) & (c): Government  has  enacted  National  Food  Security  Act  (NFSA)  under  which foodgrains are provided to the priority category at  the  rate of 5kg per  person per month and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households at the rate of 35kg per family per month at highly subsidized price of Rs. 1/2/3 per kg for coarse grains/wheat/rice respectively. The Act covers 75%  of  population  in  rural  areas  and  50%  in  urban  areas.  The  States  which  have  not implemented  NFSA  are  being  allocated  foodgrains  under  the  erstwhile  Targeted  Public Distribution System (TPDS) for Below Poverty Line (BPL) including AAY families at the rate of 35kg per family per month and Above Poverty Line (APL) at the rate of 15-35kg per family per month.

(d): In  order  to  increase  farm  productivity  and  production  Government  has  taken  various initiatives  viz.  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana  (PMKSY),  Soil  Health  Card  (SHC), promotion of use of Neem Coated Urea, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) etc. Government has  also  taken  steps  for  increasing  investment,  improving  farm  practices,  rural  infrastructure and  delivery  of  credit,  technology  and  other  inputs,  extension,  marketing  etc.  to  improve agricultural  production  and  productivity.  Other  measures  taken  by  the  Government  include incentivisation through higher Minimum Support Prices of agricultural commodities, increase in credit flow to agriculture sector, interest subvention on crop loans etc.

In addition, Government  facilitates imports of various agricultural  commodities  to augment their domestic availability.

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