FOOD SUBSIDY

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LOK SABHA

Government of India had released Rs. 24,176.45 crore as food subsidy during 2002-2003. The food subsidy during the year 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 stood respectively at Rs. 12010 crore and Rs. 17494 crore. The subsidy to the poor is released under the BPL category of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Scheme. The subsidy released in 2002-2003 for BPL and AAY is Rs. 6336.21 crore and Rs. 2640.95 crore respectively. This information was given in Lok Sabha today by Shri V. Sreenivasa Prasad, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in written reply.

The Minister also added that the subsidy amount incurred as buffer carrying cost in 2002-2003 was Rs. 5973.1 crore against 5881.9 crore in 2001-2002 and 4232.75 crore in 2000-01. Export subsidy in 2002-03 amounted to Rs. 5742.69 crore as against 1368.37 crore in 2001-2002 and Rs. 1213 crore in 2000-2001. The Government subsidy for open sale last year was Rs. 1206.23 crore while it was Rs. 616.1 crore in 2001-2002 and 120.55 crore during the previous year.