Andhra Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Minister Prilata Sunitha called on Chief Minister Raman Singh at his office on Wednesday. The Chief Minister apprised the Minister of the details of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and food grains procurement policy of the Chhattisgarh Government.
Notably, about 27.30 lakh quintals of commodities were allotted under Public Distribution System (PDS) for the month of November to all the 27 districts of Chhattisgarh, officials stated.About 21.52 lakh quintal rice, 2.64 lakh quintal wheat, 73.971 quintal pulses, 50, 667 quintal grams (Chana) 1.25 lakh quintal Iodised salt and 62,330 quintal sugar are distributed to the fair-price shops. The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department officials said in a press release.
The commodities are to be allotted to Antyodaya, Priority and common families ration card-holders according to their entitlements.Apart from these beneficiaries, the food items will be allocated to mid-day meals scheme, total nutrition scheme, social welfare organisations , students hostels, ‘Daal-Bhaat Kendra’.
About 90 per cent of the citizens domiciled in Chhattisgarh are now being provided with food and nutrition security, claim officials.They also claimed that Chhattisgarh is the first State to give ‘Right-to-Food’ to its people and make it into a law.Apart from this ,Chhattisgarh is a Model State in Public Distribution System (PDS), which is transparent and ration are provided on schedule. The Supreme Court has also lauded the Chhattisgarh’s PDS model and ordered other states to implement it, they stated.
This apart, 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 under the Act.Notably, 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 crore) population is covered under the subsidised food scheme, but under Chhattisgarh Food Security Act 2.32 crore population are getting benefits.
The Chhattisgarh Public Distribution System under Antyodaya and Priority families schemes provides 35 kg food grains at Rs1 per kg. Since June 2014 single member category ration card-holders under destitute 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 the Food and Nutrition Security Act, hostels, ashrams, anganwadis, are provided with subsidized food grains. About Rs3844.32 crore is allocated in fiscal 2014-15 for the scheme.
About 11,077 fair price shops are currently in operation under the Public Distribution System in the State .The gram panchayats, co-operative committees and women’s groups are operating the fair price shops. About 2.60 lakh tonne 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 PDS scheme. ‘Meri Marji’ 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 CorePDS in 290 fair price shops. The ration shop owners are answerable to the consumers under the scheme. Chhattisgarh Core Public distributionSystem not only won many national awards but also was hailed at the national-level.