The Centre has called a meeting on Tuesday to address issues raised by States with regard to providing subsidised foodgrains to 82 crore people under the Food Security Act, and review its implementation.
The issues that will be discussed in the meeting include the criteria for identification of beneficiaries by the States, issue of fresh ration cards, women’s empowerment under the Act and doorstep delivery of foodgrains.
“Setting up of grievance redressal machinery at the district and State levels, computerisation of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), creation of additional storage capacity at various level of foodgrains, and opening of new fair price shops will also be taken up during the deliberations,” the Food Ministry said in a release.
Under the Act, the Centre will provide financial assistance to States and UTs for meeting the expenditure on intra-State transportation and handling and margins to be paid to fair price shop dealers. Some States have raised issues in this regard. The meeting, to be inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will be presided over by Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, K. V. Thomas. It will be attended by Food Ministers from States and UTs besides senior officials of Prime Minister’s Office, Ministries of Finance and Agriculture and the Planning Commission.
The Act, which received the President’s nod on September 12, has already been enacted in Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Mizoram and Delhi, the Ministry said.
Separate entitlements
The Act seeks to provide separate entitlements for pregnant women and children from six months up to 14 years and will cover 75 per cent and 50 per cent of rural and urban population, respectively, under TPDS, with uniform entitlement of 5 kg per person per month at the rate of Rs 3/2/1 a kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains. The entitlement of existing Antyodaya Anna Yojana households will be protected at 35 kg per household per month.