CCEA okays additional 6 million tonne foodgrain to APL families

NEW DELHI: The government today decided to allocate additional 6 million tonne of subsidised foodgrain this fiscal to 10.5 crore families above poverty line (APL) via PDS, entailing a subsidy of about 9,500 crore.


"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved additional allocation of 4.18 million tonnes of wheat and 1.98 million tonnes of rice to APL families," an official statement said.

The foodgrain will be provided at APL prices to states/ UTs for ensuring a minimum allocation of 15 kg per family per month in 22 states, and 35 kg per family per month in 13 states, it said.

Sitting on huge foodgrain stock, the Food Ministry had proposed continuation of extra allocation of 6.17 million tonne to APL families to ensure that each family gets 15-35 kg foodgrain per month this fiscal.

Normally, the government allocates minimum 10.6 kg foodgrain per family each month to APL families. Rice is sold at Rs 8.30 per kg, while wheat at Rs 6.10 per kg.

Sources said the extra allocation will entail subsidy of Rs 9,463 crore in the 2013-14 fiscal. The total foodgrain allocation to APL families would increase to 16.69 million tonne during the year.

The quantity of grains supply to APL families has been increased because of huge stocks in government godowns in the wake of record production and procurement in last few years.

The government has been allocating 35 kg foodgrain per month to each APL families in 13 special states where allocation was less than 15 kg, since June 2011, while it has maintained 15 kg in other states.

As on May 1, the government has foodgrain stock of 77.45 million tonne, while the actual requirement till April was only 21.2 million tonne.