Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution CR Chaudhary said here yesterday that the Centre would restrict the distribution of sugar through the public distribution system (PDS) only to poorest of the poor.
Chaudhary was in Dharamsala to propagate the policies of the Modi government in view of the coming Assembly elections in the state. He said the party had asked Union ministers to visit each parliamentary constituency to propagate the works done by the present NDA government. He held a meeting with party workers in Dharamsala.
The minister said the Centre had identified 2.5 crore poorest of the poor under the Antodya Yojana. “Only these people will be provided sugar and that also up to Rs 1 kg per month,” the minister said.
He said there was no cut on the foodgrain being provided under the PDS system.
Responding to a query, the minister said the Agriculture Department was planning to develop cold storages within 50-km radius of major crop producing areas of the country. “At present, most of the cold storages are being managed by private entrepreneurs. Farmers are not benefiting from these. The Agriculture Department will now develop its own cold storages that can shield the farmers from the distressed sale of crops. It was a major policy decision that will benefit the farmers in the long run,” said Chaudhary.
Regarding the high cost of pulses and vegetables, the minister said there was a demand of 24 lakh MT pulses. Due to bad climatic conditions, the produce last year went down to 16 lakh MT. The government imported pulses from Africa to meet the shortfall. A buffer stock of about 4 lakh MT pulses had also been created, maintained the minister.
He said in vegetable, only the prices of tomato were high due to shortage in the production in monsoon. He said the role of the Government of India was limited to maintaining the adequate supply of vegetables and pulses which it was doing. “However, the onus of keeping the prices in check and stopping hoarding lies with the state governments,” he added.