Plan Panel to give report on BPL in a month

The government said on Tuesday the Planning Commission will give revised estimates of families living below poverty line within a month for effective implementation of targeted public distribution system and other welfare schemes.

Replying to a supplementary in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, "The Planning Commission has been authorised to look in the issue and give report in one month and based on that foodgrains would be sanctioned to all the states."

On the complaint of shortage of foodgrain, the minister said lifting of foodgrain by states/Union Territories under TPDS and other welfare schemes has been less than the allocation made to them.

To a query by Lalu Prasad (Rashtriya Janata Dal) that Bihar was not getting sufficient foodgrains, Pawar informed the House that like other states Bihar lifted less quantity of foodgrains compared to what was sanctioned.

Against sanctioned foodgrains of 34.36 lakh (3.43 million) tonnes, Bihar lifted only 20.51 lakh tonnes in 2009-10, he said, adding the state government had suggested that there was a difference between actual and existing BPL card holders.

Based on that, the Union Cabinet authorised Planning Commission to relook into the BPL survey and give report within a month.

On the shortage of foodgrain, he said it was because of failure of kharif season as more than 300 districts were reeling under severe drought but the loss has been compensated in the rabi season.

He assured the House that additional demand by the states would be met.