PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

    Public Distribution System in Tamil Nadu is an universal system to cover all the needy families by supplying rice at a price much lower than the BPL price fixed by the Government of India under the Targeted Public Distribution System. Rice is sold at Rs.2.00 per kg from 03.06.2006 to the card holders.

The details of family cards in circulation as on 30-06-2006 in Tamil Nadu are as follows:

    Issue of family cards to eligible families is a continuous process and this Government have issued necessary instructions to the Principal Commissioner and Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection to issue cards without delay. At the same time, bogus cards are also being eliminated.

    As per the Government of India estimate, the number of BPL families in Tamil Nadu is 48.63 lakhs. This State is not following the system of classification of families as Above Poverty Line (APL) / Below Poverty Line (BPL) families based on income criterion as followed by the Government of India and other States for distribution of grains (rice) under Public Distribution System. In other words, there is no BPL / APL classification in our State right from the date of introduction of TPDS by the Government of India. Out of the total 1.89 crore family card-holders in this State, except about 10.25 lakhs card-holders who have given their option for drawal of extra sugar instead of rice, the remaining 1.78 crore card-holders are drawing rice under Public Distribution System.

  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

• RICE

    Under the Targeted Public Distribution System, the Government of India allots 4,75,866 MTs of Rice per month to this State. The issue price of rice meant for APL families, is Rs.8.30 per kg and for BPL families the price is Rs.5.65 per kg and for families covered under the AAY it is Rs.3 per kg.

The present allotment of rice and wheat by Government of India for PDS every month is as below:-

(All in Tonnes)

• SUGAR

    Government of India allocate only 7607 MTs of levy sugar, against our normal requirement of 36,000 MTs. The balance quantity is lifted by Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., under non-levy from Cooperative sugar mills at open market rate. The difference in the cost is absorbed as part of the food subsidy.

• WHEAT 

    Wheat allotment to Tamil Nadu is under APL only. Upto May 2006, 10000 MTs. of APL Wheat was allotted by G.O.I. But this allotment was reduced to 3783 MTs. from June 2006, which is insufficient to meet the present level of off-take. The Government of Tamil Nadu have addressed the G.O.I. for enhancement of this quantity in the Letter No. D.O. 8239/D1/06-1 dated 29.6.2006 and orders of G.O.I. are still awaited.

The Government of Tamil Nadu has been incurring a huge food subsidy. The details of subsidy for the last three years is given below:

(Rupees in crores)

• KEROSENE

    Government of India allots kerosene for distribution in the Public Distribution System to cardholders for cooking and lighting purposes. The details of the allotment made by Government of India per month from the year 1997-1998 to 2006-2007 are given below:

Government of India allots only 59,852 KL of kerosene every month, whereas the requirement is 75,647 KL per month.

The details of the requirement of kerosene for supply in Public Distribution System are given below:-

    During the year 2004, 39,38,521 new cards were issued for which kerosene was not supplied. The requirement for the above cards is 17,363 KL. Hence the State Government have requested the Government of India to enhance the allotment to the State from 59,852 KL to 76,000 KL per month. But Government of India have made only a special one time allotment of only 12,000 KL to be lifted from 1.7.2006 to 30.9.2006.

• PRIVATE RETAILERS

    As allowed by the Government, 1172 Private retailers are operating in Public Distribution System and they are attached with family cards not exceeding 500. They have to issue kerosene to the family card holders as per the scale of supply prescribed for the areas and maintain records and accounts as prescribed for the fair price shops

.

• HANDCARTMEN

    There are 2459 handcart vendors of kerosene in the State. They are being allotted with 50 litres of kerosene per day (Not exceeding 25 working days in a month ) to supply to families at 2 litres per family. They have to supply in the streets/areas allotted to them.

EXCLUSIVE KEROSENE BUNKS:

    In order to maintain availability and uninterrupted supply of kerosene to the family card holders, the Government have established exclusive kerosene retail bunks similar to petrol bunks , thereby ensuring supply of kerosene to family card holders on all working days. Accordingly 8000 to 10,000 family cards within the radius of 2 km are attached to a kerosene bunk. These bunks are constructed at a cost of Rs. 4.50 lakhs and the State Government grants 50% of the cost of construction as subsidy. The kerosene bunks are operated by Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation or the Cooperative Society in charge of running fair price shops in the area. Each kerosene bunks has storage tanker with capacity of 15 KL and dispensing pumps. These bunks distribute about 50 KL per month. At present there are 309 such bunks in the State.

    The quantity of kerosene supplied to a cardholder depends on the place of his residence. Cardholders in urban and semi urban areas get more kerosene. Similarly the cardholders in the hill district of The Nilgiris also are entitled to draw more kerosene since they normally have a greater requirement. This also ensures that trees are not cut down for use as fuel.

• COMPUTERISATION OF KEROSENE BUNKS

    To improve the system of distribution, initiatives are being taken to computerize the billing in the kerosene bunks in a phased manner. A pilot scheme initiated in Vellore district in this regard has been replicated in 15 places in Chennai city. In other bunks, computerisation will be introduced in due course. This will prevent the diversion and misuse so that targeted groups will get the full benefits.

•  ANTYODAYA ANNA YOJANA SCHEME

    The Government of India launched the scheme called “Antyodaya Anna Yojana” with effect from 25.12.2000. The above scheme was implemented in Tamil Nadu with effect from 1.11.2001 in urban areas and with effect from 1.12.2001 in rural areas and the Collectors are over all in charge for the implementation of this scheme in the Districts.

    The objective of the scheme is to ensure food security to the poorest of the poor. Originally at the time of introduction of AAY scheme, each beneficiary was given 25 Kgs per month at the rate of Rs.3/- per Kg. The “AAY” beneficiaries are now supplied with 35 kgs. of rice per card per month at the rate of Rs.2/- per kg. through fair price shops. The AAY beneficiaries are also supplied rice at Rs.2/- per kg. from 03.06.2006 onwards.

    Initially the Government of India identified 7,45,500 beneficiaries under this scheme in this State. The District Collectors identified 7,45,500 beneficiaries as fixed by Government of India. The Government of India further allotted and fixed a target 3,73,000 beneficiaries under ‘Expanded AAY'. All these beneficiaries have also been identified. The Government of India have released 39,148 MTs of rice for EAAY scheme and increased the allotment of rice to Tamil Nadu from 25,002 MTs to 39,148 MTs per month from November 2004.

    Government of India have further expanded the scheme and set a target of 3,58,000 beneficiaries under the “Additional Expanded AAY” scheme. The District Collectors have identified the beneficiaries and completed the scheme and Government of

    India have allotted an additional allotment of 12,530 MTs rice totaling 51,678 MTs of rice to meet the requirement of beneficiaries selected.

    Recently, Government of India have allotted an additional 3,88,100 beneficiaries under third phase of the AAY Scheme. The beneficiaries have been sub-allocated to the districts, and the Collectors have identified the beneficiaries. Government of India have increased the AAY rice allotment to 65,265 MT. As on date there are 18,64,600 AAY beneficiaries in this State entitled to 65,265 MT of rice under the AAY Scheme.

SCALE OF SUPPLY OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES UNDER PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM 2005-2006:

• FAIR PRICE SHOPS:

    In Tamil Nadu all the fair price shops are run by the Co-operatives and the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Limited. The details of fair price shops functioning (as on 30.06.2006) under the various agencies are as follows:-

    The aim of the Government is to have at least one fair price shop in each Revenue Village . The District Collectors have been empowered to open fair price shops including part-time shops as per the guidelines prescribed by the Government. The objective is to ensure that no cardholder travels more than 2 kms to get his supplies. The maximum number of cards attached to a shop should not exceed 1000 in the case of urban areas and 800 in the case of rural areas. In order to ensure better reach in far flung and remote areas, part-time shops are opened even with 200 cards, if the distance exceeds 2 kilo metres.

• SHOPS RUN BY WOMEN'S GROUPS

    Retail outlets are opened by Women's Self Help Groups to distribute essential commodities in places where the public need to walk beyond 2 kms to reach the allotted shops or where the existing fair price shop has more number of family cards. Guidelines have also been issued for allotting fair price shops to women's self help groups. Considering the enthusiasm evinced by these women in social activities and also to involve them in activities connected with the welfare of the people, Government has ordered that active steps should be taken to increase the number of Fair Price Shops run by women. As on 30.06.2006, 591 shops are being run by women groups in the State.

    The Village Panchayats have also been authorised to run fair price shops and necessary guidelines in this regard have been issued by the Rural Development Department. But as such no panchayat has come forward to run PDS outlets.

• MECHANISM TO CONTROL LEAKAGES

    Efforts are made to monitor the movement of stocks from Food Corporation of India depots to TNCSC Ltd taluk operational godowns and then to PDS outlets. Route charts are followed for movement from Taluk godowns and shops which are being intercepted and inspected by various teams.

General inspections and monitoring of Public Distribution System is carried out by following agencies:

•  District Collectors

•  Civil Supplies Department

•  Co-operatives/TNCSC Ltd. Officials in their respective shops.

Inspections are carried at godowns, shops and also enroute movements.

    The system of universal Public Distribution System followed in Tamil Nadu with its effective and diligent mechanism of implementation has contributed to a great extent in stabilising the food grain price even during the drought years.

.