PRIME MINISTER’S SPEECH AT THE
ALL PARTY MEETING ON PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
RAJYA SABHA
The Prime Minister,
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has emphasised close monitoring of the
PDS at every stage, especially at the "last mile". Shri
Vajpayee also stressed the need to ensure that the foodgrains
allotted to the States for the poorest sections are lifted by
the concerned agencies. Speaking at the All Party meeting on Public
Distribution System, Shri Vajpayee called upon all the States/UTs
to implement the PDS (Control) Order, 2001 in letter and spirit.
The Prime Minister pointed out that eradication of hunger is the
first priority of the Government.
The following is
the text of the Prime Minister’s speech:
"I welcome
all of you to this meeting, which has been organized to discuss
various problems being faced in the implementation of the Public
Distribution System (PDS).
Eradicating hunger
is the most important task before the Nation in its attempts to
overcome poverty and malnutrition. It is also the first priority
of the Government. People are the most vital resource with any
country and it is therefore imperative that we look after one
of the most fundamental needs of the vast majority of our population.
PDS is an instrument to achieve this objective.
Even though PDS
is the joint responsibility of the Centre and the States, some
slippages in implementation do occur on account of lack of coordination
and monitoring. Honourable Members belonging to the different
political parties did the right thing by bringing the problems
in the implementation of PDS to our notice in the last session
of the Parliament. I had assured on 5th December, 2002
that we would call an All Party Meeting to discuss this matter.
Hence, this meeting today.
Friends, the
Green Revolution and the consequent growth in agriculture has
led to manifold increase in production of foodgrains in the country
enabling India to achieve self-sufficiency. Today we are actually
an exporter of foodgrains and also in a position to help others
by way of food aid. The percentage of our population living Below
Poverty Line has declined. Per capita availability of foodgrains
has improved. We have also considerably reduced the price, and
increased the quantity, of foodgrains for the poor. An important
link that remains to be strengthened is the distribution of foodgrains
in villages and remote areas through PDS.
Taking advantage
of the huge stock of foodgrains, the Government of India has taken
a number of measures in the last two years to utilize the foodgrains
for the welfare of the people. Apart from the TPDS, foodgrains
at Below Poverty Line rates are also being allotted to Welfare
Schemes administered by different Ministries, State Governments,
Non-Governmental organizations sponsored by State Governments/Ministries
of Government of India. These include the Mid-day Meal Scheme,
the Wheat-based Nutrition Programme, the Annapurna Scheme, the
SC/ST/OBC Hostels Scheme, Nutritional Programme for Adolescent
Girls, pregnant and lactating mothers etc.
A substantial
portion of the food stock available has been used to generate
employment in times of natural calamities. This is in the form
of the Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana. A special component of
SGRY has been launched to provide foodgrains to State Governments
to organize employment generation programmes in drought-affected
areas. During 2002-03, as many as 63.40 lakh tonnes were allocated
to State Governments under the special component of SGRY. During
the current year, 34 lakh tonnes have been allotted till May,
2003.
I may mention
here that, never since Independence have foodgrains been made
available by the Centre in such huge quantities for welfare schemes,
food-for-work programmes and drought-relief and other calamity-mitigation
programmes.
In order to cover
the hunger-prone population of the country, we launched the Antyodaya
Anna Yojana in December 2000. This scheme provides 35 kgs. of
foodgrains per family per month at highly subsidized rates of
Rs. 2/- a kg. For wheat and Rs. 3/- a kg. for rice. Initially
it covered one crore poorest of the poor families. Recently, its
coverage has been expanded to include an additional 50 lakh families
from amongst the widows, terminally ill persons, disabled persons,
persons aged 60 years or more, and primitive tribal groups belonging
to the BPL families. This is globally the largest Food Security
Programme providing foodgrains to the poor at the cheapest rate
anywhere in the world.
Friends, the
issue of food subsidy cannot be delinked from a discussion on
PDS. Food subsidy has grown from Rs. 9,200 crores in 1999-2000
to nearly Rs. 24,000 crores in 2002-03. The purpose of food subsidy
is that it should benefit the poor and the needy. Though the offtake
of foodgrains under PDS has increased from 117.89 lakh tonnes
in 2000-2001 to 198.00 lakh tonnes in 2002-2003, we are not sure
that every deserving consumer is receiving foodgrains under PDS.
Notwithstanding the allocation figures, the deficit in off-take
of supplies, particularly under the BPL category, and especially
in the food deficit and drought-affected States, has emerged as
a major problem area.
The Government
has taken all possible steps to enable that foodgrains reach the
poorest of the poor. Yet, it has been observed that the offtake
under BPL category has not gone beyond 55% during the last two
years. This may be one of the reasons why foodgrains do not reach
each and every corner of the country.
Thus, we are
faced with a peculiar dilemma of surplus on the resource side
and deficit on the consumption end of the production-supply chain.
The Central Government has done whatever is possible within the
resource limitations to enhance efficiency of the supply chain.
The problem however, lies with the supply chain management at
the distribution end. I have requested your presence to discuss
a possible course for enhancing the efficiency of the supply chain
and meet the demands of the consumer especially those belonging
to the poorer sections of the society. There is urgent need to
improve the situation. For this:
- There has to be close monitoring
of the PDS at every stage, especially at the "last mile".
We have to activate the vast network of nearly 4.75 lakh Fair
Price Shops across the country.
- It has to be ensured that the
foodgrains allotted to the States for the poorest sections are
lifted by the concerned agencies, made available to the Fair
Price Shops and actually issued to the ultimate beneficiaries.
- Vigilance Committees will have
to be activated at FPS, Block, District and State level taking
the help of civil society and NGOs.
- The PDS (Control) Order, 2001
should be strictly implemented by all the States/UTs in letter
and spirit.
I seek the cooperation of all the
State Governments to achieve the desired results. This is not
to say that State administrations have not done their bit. It
is only to emphasize the ever increasing need for better and more
efficient mechanisms.
I welcome your valuable suggestions
and ideas, which will serve as a useful feedback and necessary
guidance for further strengthening the PDS. Let us together make
PDS fully serve the purpose for which it was created – namely,
as an instrument to achieve food security for the poor and the
needy.
Thank you."
