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.
About 90 per cent of the masses are covered under Food and Nutrition Security Act was implemented in 2013. Chhattisgarh’s PDS under Antyodaya and Priority families schemes provides 35 kg foodgrains at Rs1 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 Rs5 per kilo in Notified areas. In non-Notified areas two kg pulses at the rate of Rs10 and one kg sugar at Rs13 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 the 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 per cent (2.32 crore) population are getting benefits. Under the Food and Nutrition Security Act, hostels, ashrams, anganwadis are provided with subsidised foodgrains. About Rs3,844 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 Rs4,640 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 Rs1.75 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 some 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. He said the Government de-privatised all ration shops and handed it to self help groups, gram panchayats, van Suraksha Samitis and other community institutions for smooth functioning.
These institutions were provided with one-month ration on credit and Rs75,000 as interest free capital to run these shops. The Government also raised the commission from Rs8 to Rs45 per quintal in order to make it a profitable. Ration shops were opened in each gram panchayat and arrangements were made to provide rations to cardholders on time. The Chief Minister said that in the second phase the Government focused on bringing transparency in the system, involving public and making it an online system.
The Government took various measures such as setting up call centres across the State. Information regarding collection and distribution of ration at ration shops were made available on the website. Rigorous monitoring was done involving creative uses of technology. For instance, a system of “SMS alerts” was launched to inform people of ration movements, and all records pertaining to supplies, sales, timelines, etc. were computerised. Singh said in the third phase of reform the Government targeted on strengthening the process of paddy procurement.
An online system was introduced to ensure procurement of paddy. Arrangement was made to purchase paddy directly from farmers and payment for the same to be made immediately in farmer’s bank account. Paddy procurement has reached to approx. 80 lakh metric tonne last year from 5.87 metric tonne in 2001. Today, Chhattisgarh has become the third contributor to Centre’s pool after Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.
The Supreme Court has also praised the State’s PDS system and asked other states to implement it. Apart from food grains, the State Government is providing pulse, gram, sugar and iodized salt to beneficiaries to ensure not only food security but also nutrition security in the State, the Chief Minister said.