Director of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department Dr Kamalpreet Singh on Wednesday informed that there will be no provision of cash transfer plan for PDS ration card holders in the near future in Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh Government under the Public Distribution System (PDS) has released 2.48 lakh tonnes of various ration items for month of February. The allotment of ration is for all 27 districts, officials informed. The ration would be available in 10,100 fair price shops in the State and would be distributed among 64 lakh ration card holders, they said.
He informed that out of the total allotment 1.97 lakh tonne rice, 20,178 tonnes wheat, 7,217 tonne pulses, 4,918 tonne gram, 6,067 tonne sugar and 12,134 tonne iodine salt has been released. Additional 12,096 kilo liter kerosene would be also distributed from February 1,” he added. About 19.89 lakh quintals of rice was allocated to ration card holders during the current month under the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The Government allocated 14.2 lakh quintals of rice to priority families among the ration card holders, 5,51,953 quintals to antodaya families, 31,186 quintals to general category families, 2,996 quintals to the dependent families and 870 quintals to the differently abled families. Chhattisgarh’s unique Public Distribution System (PDS) model now has gram panchayats co-operative societies and women’s self help groups (SHGs) operating the fair price shops, officials stated. Significantyly, about 90% of the masses are covered under Food and Nutrition Security Act which was implemented in 2013.
Chhattisgarh’s PDS under antyodaya and priority families schemes provides 35 kg foodgrains at `1 per kilo. Since June 2014 single member category ration card-holders under destitutes segment are provided 10 kg food grains free of cost. The State Government keeping in view nutrition security is providing -grams, pulses, sugar and iodised salt. Antyodaya and priority families get two kg salt free of cost, two kg grams at `5 per kilo in notified areas. In non-notified areas two kg pulses at the rate of `10 and one kg sugar at `13 are distributed. Under antyodaya scheme most backward tribes-Baiga, Birhor, PahadiKorva, Kamar, Abhujmadias, families headed by single female, and serious, incurable patients-AIDS, Sickle cell anaemia, cancer, TB afflicted, families with old ,dependent, and those families whose head is freed from bonded labour-are included under Antyodaya scheme.
landless labour families, small farmers upto five acres of land, unorganised labour like-barbers, shoe-makers, carpenters, washermen, rickshaw-pullers families, building construction labour -coolies and other menial workers, are included in the priority list. It is interesting to note that Central Government also passed National Food Security Act 2013, which was implemented in January 2014. As per the Centre, 78.43 per cent(2 cr) population is covered under the subsidised food scheme, but under Chhattisgarh Food Security Act 91 %(2.32 crore) population are getting benefits. Under the Food and Nutrition Security Act, hostels, ashrams, Anganwadis, are provided with subsidised foodgrains. About `3844 crore 32 lakh is allocated in fiscal 2014-15 for the scheme.
The transparency, location of fair price shops,details of distribution of ration through SMS, rice utsav in some ration shops every month, free call centres for consumers , were much appreciated at the national-level. About 2.60 lakh tonnes food grains and 15,000 kilolitre kerosene oil are being distributed under the PDS. The State is spending `4,640 crore per year on the scheme. ‘Meri Marji’ (My Choice) scheme was started in March 2012 in which consumers can buy rations from the shops of their choice under the core PDS system.
It is in operation in eight cities-Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund,Raigarh, Ambikapur, Korba and Chirimiri-in 565 fair price shops. About `1.75 crore is allocated in current fiscal 2014-15 to implement core PDS in 290 fair price shops. The ration shop owners are answerable to the consumers under the scheme. Chhattisgarh core public distribution system not only won many national awards but also was hailed at the national-level. Chhattisgarh’s Public Distribution System (PDS) has received all round praises for becoming a unique example for the country at the meeting of Chief Ministers with the Prime Minister in New Delhi, officials stated.
To discuss the proposed forum of effective communication between the Centre and States. In the second session of the meeting, Chief Ministers of States, which have done good work, were asked to give a presentation on the subject in New Delhi on December 7 last year. Chief Minister Raman Singh gave a detailed presentation, highlighting reforms carried out in each phase of PDS at the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers, from many States appreciated the PDS of Chhattisgarh, officials stated. Elaborating on the reforms carried out by the State Government, Singh said the Government took the first step towards PDS reform by eliminating middlemen and putting an end to corruption.