The Centre is considering a proposal to give rice and wheat each month to the poorest 20 per cent (2.3 crore) of the families above the poverty line, as per eligibility norms.
The number of families above the poverty line is 11.52 crore.
Following the parliamentary standing committee’s consistent recommendation for the past two years to devise a modified APL Scheme covering at least 20 per cent of the poorest families, falling in the category of APL, the Food Ministry is seriously looking into the issue.
“The subject is being examined in the Department,” a senior government official said.
The Centre issues wheat at Rs 6.10 per kg and rice at Rs 8.30 per kg to the states for supply to the APL families through ration shops.
But the prices vary from state to state as they add transportation cost to the central issue prices (CIPs).
Following a recent decision, the Centre has hiked foodgrain allocation under APL to 13.6 lakh tonnes a month from 9.20 lakh tonnes.
But if it would have to cover 2.3 crore APL card holders, which constitute 20 per cent of the total families covered under APL, and distribute 35 kg of rice and wheat to each family every month, there would be a requirement of only 8.05 lakh tonnes of foodgrains, which is substantially lower than the current allocation.
The Centre is aware of the fact that not all the APL card holders buy foodgrains from the ration shops as they keep the card for identity proof, the official said.
The parliamentary standing committee on food, headed by Devendra Prasad Yadav, had recommended to the government in 2007-08 to devise a modified APL Scheme covering at least 20 per cent of the poor persons who are just above the BPL families, but technically under APL category.
The Planning Commission is reported to have agreed to the proposal.
The standing committee, in its report in December 2008, reiterated that the modalities of the modified scheme for providing food security to the category of persons who are technically above the poverty line but are actually poor and suffer from food insecurity be worked out expeditiously
