Only 53,617 tons pulses distributed to ration card holders under the Public Distribution System so far during the coronavirus lockdown.
Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday blamed that State Governments are not doing enough in free distribution of pulses to ration card holders under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana (PMGAY) during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Paswan said that as many as 20 states and union territories are getting ready for implementation of the ambitious ration card portability service 'One Nation-One Ration Card' from June 1.
According to Paswan, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has loaded a total number of 2641 rakes (including wheat and rice) towards this end and the approx quantity loaded is 73.95 lakh metric tons (LMT) (55.38 LMT rice and 18.57 LMT wheat).
Nearly a month's supply of pulses has already been dispatched to several states and union territories, but they have managed to distribute only 53,617 tonnes to ration card holders under the PDS he said and urged them to speed up the process in the interest of poor people.
It may be noted that the government has decided to distribute free 1 kg pulses to each PDS householder for three months till June under the PMGAY to ensure nutrition security of the poor during the lockdown period.
"Distribution of pulses is the responsibility of the state governments. It has not been easy for us to get the raw pulses milled and transported to states/UTs in these difficult times. States should also put extra efforts to ensure at least whatever pulses have been sent to them are distributed via PDS," Paswan said. He said the delay in supply and distribution of pulses is due to late intimation by States/UTs on their choice of particular pulses variety such as Tur Dal, Urad Whole, Moong Whole, Chana hole, Chana Dal and Masur Dal besides the logistics involved in transportation from different States during the lockdown.
The monthly allocation of pulses is 1.95 lakh tonnes under the PMGAY. Of this, 1.81 lakh tonnes of pulses have already reached to states/union territories so far, out of which only 53,617 tonnes have been distributed to beneficiaries, he said. "There is enough pulses stock with the government. We are milling and providing it to states. Cannot states take the responsibility of distribution of pulses for three months at least? They cannot expect us to take care of distribution in states," Paswan said.
For instance, about 6,610 tonnes of pulses have been transported to Bihar which plans to distribute under PDS from May 9. The entire monthly requirement of 1,750 tonnes of pulses have been given to Delhi, while half of the quota of 15,419 tonnes have been given to Chhattisgarh, he added. Currently, the government has about 14.48 lakh tonnes of pulses in its buffer, of which tur dal is about 5.50 lakh tonnes, urad 2.60 lakh tonnes, chana 2.72 lakh tonnes, moong 1.20 lakh tonnes and masur 0.84 lakh tonnes.