Targeted Public Distribution System
Under the Minimum Common Programme of Government of India, the poor families in the State were provided 10 kg. of foodgrains at half the rate of normal rate w.e.f. 1st June, 1997. The quantum was raised to 20 kg. of food grains w.e.f. 1.4.2000. Now the quantum for BPL and APL beneficiaries has been enhanced to 35 kg. and fixed 15 Kg. respectively w.e.f. 1.4.2002.
Under TPDS, an initial target of 60.34 lakh BPL beneficiaries was given to the State. Based on the State’s population of March, 2000, the Govt. of India has fixed 65.34 lakh beneficiaries for the State.
National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) came into force from 1st February, 2014 in the State. As per the Act, beneficiaries are grouped into two groups. i.e. 1) Antyodaya 2) Priority House Hold. Antyodaya group beneficiaries are entitled to get 35 KG. of foodgrains per card per month and PHH beneficiaries are entitled to get 5 Kg. of foodgrains per person per month.
Criteria for Beneficiaries under TPDS
As the Government of India has raised the number of beneficiaries under TPDS from 60.34 lakh, to 65.34 lakh, the State Govt. decided to issue BPL cards to those included in the IRDP list of the year 1997-98 with annual income upto Rs. 15,000/-.
Tricolor Ration Cards Scheme
The affluent families do not purchase foodgrains under PDS and therefore with a view to curb diversion of foodgrains and provide more foodgrains to the needy families, the State Govt. introduced Tricolour ration card scheme w.e.f. 1st May,1999. Accordingly, as per following criteria 3 different coloured rationcards were issued in the State :-
A) Yellow Ration Cards
- Families having annual income up to Rs. 15,000/-
- None of the members in the family should be a doctor or lawyer or architect or chartered accountant.
- None of the members in the family should be professional tax payer, sales tax payer or income tax payer or eligible to pay such tax.
- The family should not posses residential telephone.
- The family should not posses four wheeler vehicle.
- All the persons in the family should not hold total two hectares of Jirayat land or one hectre seasonal irrigated land or half hectre of irrigated (double in drought affected areas) land.
- The Govt. has taken decision to issue the BPL Ration Cards on temporary basis to the all Beedi workers, all Pardhi & Kolhati communities vide GR dated 9.9.2008.
- The Govt. has taken decision to issue the BPL Ration Cards on temporary basis to the abandond women vide G.R. dated 29.9.2008, 21.2.2009 & 17.01.2011.
- As per Government Resolution dated 17.3.2003 temporary yellow ration card benefits have been given to the workers of closed Textile Mills, Cotton Mills, Sugar Factories, etc.
B-1) Saffron Ration Cards
- Families having annual income above Rs.15,000 and below Rs.1 lakh
- None of the members in the family should have four wheeler mechanical vehicle (excluding taxi).
- The family in all should not posses four hecatare or more irrigated land.
B-2) Priority House Hold (P.H.H.) Cards
The beneficiaries in the above (B-1), under TPDS who declared their annual income in a prescribed form in 2011 and having annual income not excess than Rs.59,000/- in urban area and not excess than Rs.44,000/- in rural area were eligible to get the benefit under Priority House Hold (PHH) Cards. The GR was issued on 17.12.2013. The Stamping of “Public House Hold” was done on the upper right side of the first page of the saffron ration cards of the beneficiaries.
White Ration Cards
The families having annual income of Rs. 1 Lakh or above, any member of the family possess a four wheeler or the family aggregately holding more than 4 hectare irrigated land are eligible to get white ration cards.