35 kg of foodgrains for BPL families: CCEA

New Delhi, Feb 7 (UNI) The centre will allocate 35 kg of foodgrains for each BPL family covered under the state governments' Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) decided today.

Allocation of foodgrains to state governments for above poverty line (APL) families in North-eastern states (excluding Assam), Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands would be continue at the present level, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters.

The total allocation of foodgrains to APL families would be restricted within 85 lakh tonnes of foodgrains for 2008-09 which was the total offtake by all states under APL in 2006-07.

Within this allocation, the state governments would decide the scale of issue to APL families.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution would re-allocate any savings on account of lower offtake under BPL/AAY to any other states as per requirements.

The central issue prices for BPL, APL and AAY would be retained at the existing level.

For other welfare schemes (except SGRY), foodgrains would continue to be allotted by the Department of Food and Distribution at BPL rates.

Additional allocation would be made for welfare institutions and hostels at BPL central issue prices.

Also, counter trade and commodity assistance would be extended in the form of foodgrains to other countries on terms to be decided on a case to case basis.

All the decisions would be effective from April 1 this year.

UNI SN RL GC1524