States not doing enough for free distribution of pulses under PDS: Paswan

Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan claimed that the state governments managed to distribute only 53,617 tonnes to ration card holders under the Public Distribution System (PDS), and blamed that they are not doing enough in free distribution of pulses under PMGAY.

New Delhi: Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday blamed that state governments are not doing enough in free distribution of pulses to PDS householders under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana (PMGAY) during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Nearly a month's supply of pulses has already been dispatched to several states and union territories, but they have managed to distribute only 53,617 tonnes to ration card holders under the Public Distribution System (PDS), he said and urged them to speed up the process in the interest of poor people.

It may be noted that the government has decided to distribute free 1 kg pulses to each PDS householder for three months till June under the PMGAY to ensure nutrition security of the poor during the lockdown period.

"Distribution of pulses is the responsibility of the state governments. It has not been easy for us to get the raw pulses milled and transported to states/UTs in these difficult times. States should also put extra efforts to ensure at least whatever pulses have been sent to them are distributed via PDS," Paswan told reporters.

The monthly allocation of pulses is 1.95 lakh tonnes under the PMGAY. Of this, 1.81 lakh tonnes of pulses have already reached to states/union territories so far, out of which only 53,617 tonnes have been distributed to beneficiaries, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)