Food Corporation of India
Headquarters:New Delhi

Distribution of Foodgrains 

The national objective of growth with social justice and progressive improvements in the living standards of the population make it imperative to ensure that foodgrain is made available at reasonable prices.

Public Distribution of foodgrains has always been an integral part of India ’s overall food policy. It has been evolved to reach the urban as well as the rural population in order to protect the consumers from the fluctuating and escalating price syndrome.
Continuous availability of foodgrain is ensured through about 5 lakhs fair price shops spread throughout the country.
A steady availability of foodgrains at fixed prices is assured which is lower than actual costs due to Govt. policy of providing subsidy that absorbs a part of the economic cost.
The Govt. of India introduced a scheme called Targetted Public Distribution Scheme (TPDS) effective from June, 1997. The stocks are issued under this scheme in the following two categories:-
a) Below Poverty Line (BPL): Determination of the families under this category in various states is based on the recommendation of the Planning Commission. A fixed quantity of 35 Kg. foodgrains per family per month is issued under this category. The stocks are issued at highly subsidized Price of Rs.4.15 per Kg. of wheat and Rs. 5.65 per Kg. of rice.
Antyodaya Anna Yojna - During the year 2000-2001 Govt. of India decided to release foodgrains under Antyodaya Anna Yojna. Under this scheme the poorest strata of population out of earlier identified BPL population is covered. Foodgrains are being provided to 2.5 crores poorest of the poor families out of the BPL families at highly subsidized rates of Rs.2/- per kg. of wheat and Rs.3/- per kg. of rice by FCI. This is the biggest food security scheme in the world.
b) Above Poverty Line ( APL) – Families which are not covered under BPL are placed under this category. The stocks are issued at Central Issue Price of Rs. 6.10 per Kg.  of wheat and Rs. 8.30 per Kg. of rice.

Distribution through Fair Price shop

FPS in remote hill areas in HP

 

Allotment/Offtake of Wheat/Rice

The Central Issue Price (CIP):-

                                                                                                                                                        (Rate: Rs./Qtl.)

Commodity Effective From BPL Families APL Families AAY Families
Wheat 01- 07- 2002 415 610 200
Rice Common 01- 07- 2002 565 795* 300
Rice Grade-A 01- 07- 2002 565 830 300

(*): Applicable to J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttaranchal and NE States.

There are number of other welfare schemes of the Govt. of India :

(a) Mid-Day-Meal-Scheme (MDM)- The Govt. of India have introduced MDM – National Programme of    Nutrition Support to Primary Education in Primary Schools w.e.f. 15.8.1995. Under the scheme every students upto 5th class of Govt. schools is entitled for 3 Kgs. of wheat/rice per month @ 100 Grams.

Since October 2007 allocation of foodgrains have also been made for the students from 6th to 8th class in the educationally backward blocks and every student is entitled for 150 Grams of foodgrains per child per school day.

The Scheme is partly run by Govt./Aided Schools/Local Bodies to serve free cooked / processed hot meal. FCI is supplying foodgrains free of cost to the State/UTs. This scheme is partly financed by Ministry of HRD.

(b) Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) - A scheme run by Department of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Women & Child Development for providing nutritious food to children below 6 years of age and expectant/lactating women. Foodgrains supplied by FCI at BPL rates.

(c)&(d) SC/ST/OBC Hostels & Welfare Institutions & Hostels-  The Ministry of CAF&PD and the Ministry of Social justice & Empowerment coordinate to monitor of the Scheme for providing foodgrains to SC/ST/OBC Hostels. Hostels having students belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories are eligible to draw 15 Kgs. Foodgrains per resident per month.

The Government of India decided that w.e.f. 2.11.2000 foodgrains (wheat/rice) will also be allotted to the state Governments at the rate of 5 Kg per head per month for indigent people living in Welfare Institutions, such as. Beggar Homes, Home for Nari Niketan etc. sponsored by the State Govts. and the concerned administration. Foodgrains are supplied by FCI at BPL rates. It may be clarified that from the year 2002-03, the MOCAF&PD has been making the requirement of the State/UT  under the head "Welfare Institutions & Hostels" to meet the requirement of the State/UT for providing foodgrains to different type of welfare institutions. Since April 2005, the Ministry of CAF &PD has enhanced quota of allotment under this scheme to 5% of the monthly allotment made under BPL & AAY.  Presently, the foodgrains is being allotted by MoCAF&Pd on the basis of average offtake during last three years under the scheme.

(e) Annapurna Scheme- Indigent Senior Citizens of 65 years of age or above eligible for National Old Age Pension under NOAPS, but not getting pension can get 10 Kgs of foodgrains per month. FCI is issuing foodgrains under this scheme to State/UT Govts. at BPL rates.

Under This scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Indigent people living in Welfare institutions like Beggar Homes, Orphanages, Nari Niketans etc. are given 15 kgs of foodgrains per person per month. Foodgrains are supplied by FCI at BPL rates.  Presently, the scheme is being run by the Ministry of CAF&PD.

(f) Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana- A scheme financially supported by Ministry of Rural Development in which foodgrains are supplied to the States/ UTs by FCI free of cost.

(g) Special Component of Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojna - Under the Special component of the SGRY financed by Ministry of Rural Development for augmenting food security through additional wage employment during natural calamity. FCI release foodgrains free of cost to the State/UTs.

Since 1st April 2008 no allotment of foodgrains has been made by the Govt. of India under SGRY.


(h) Foodgrains to Adolescent Girls Pregnant and Lactating Mothers ( AGPLM). GOI introduced this Scheme w.e.f January , 2003 Under this scheme foodgrains is being supplied by FCI at BPL prices to the State/UT Govt. for Adolescent Girls, Pregnant and Lactating Mothers ( AGPLM). The identified under nourished woman/girl is provide 6 Kg. of foodgrains (wheat/rice)/month. The scheme is partly supported by Planning Commission.  The scheme is being run by MoCAF&PD with the new name Nutritional Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG).

(i) World Food Programme (WFP) - FCI is sparing stocks to WFP projects from the Central Pool stocks as and when required by them. FCI is working as 'FOOD BANK' for World Food Programme(WFP) projects in India . When India was deficit of foodgrains, WFP used to get stocks to meet the deficiency through import.

(J) Emergency Feeding Programme - Under this scheme, Ministry of CAF & PD releases allocation of rice at BPL rates, for KBK Districts (Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malakangiri, Nabarangpur, Naupada, Rayagada & Sonepur) of Orissa State on monthly basis. Under this scheme, rice @ 7.5 kg/beneficiary/month is issued for 2 lakh beneficiaries. This programme is being run by the Ministry of CAF&PD.

(k) Grain Bank -  This scheme provides Grants for establishment of village Grain Bank to prevent deaths of Schedule Tribes specially children in remote and backward tribal villages facing or likely to face starvation and also to improve nutritional standards. The scheme provides funds for building storage facility, procurement of weights & measures and for the purchase of initial stock of one quintal of foodgrains of local variety for each family. The allocation of foodgrains was made by the GOI, Ministry of Tribal Affairs during the year 2002-2003. Under this scheme foodgrains are allotted to States at BPL rate.  Since 2006-07 the scheme is being run by Ministry of CAF&PD.  The cost of foodgrains as food component is being paid to FCI in advance at economic cost.  State Govts. are lifting foodgrains free of cost from FCI.

(l) National Food for Work Programme - this programme has been launched by the Prime Minister during November 2004 for providing foodgrains in identified 150 most backward districts of the country. The beneficiaries of this programme are labourers engaged by the State Govt. in development work. Foodgrains is given as part of wages under the scheme to the rural poor at the rate of 5 kg. per manday. More than 5 kg. foodgrains can be given to the labourers under this programme in exceptional cases subject to a minimum of 25% of wages to be paid in cash. Under this programme foodgrains ae issued to states/UTs free of cost. This scheme is mentored by  Ministry of Rural Development.

Since 2006-07 the scheme has withheld