By Newsgram Staff Writer

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan said that the Government has been providing food grains at highly subsidized prices to the targeted population through State Governments/Union Territory Administrations under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).

The minister said that the Government allocated 614.53 lakh tons of food grains under TPDS and OWS in the year 2014-2015. He also said that the National Food Security Act was notified in 2013 to deal with the problem of food security.

The act provides for coverage of up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population for receiving food grains at subsidized prices of Rs.3,2 per Kg for rice & 1 per Kg for wheat and coarse grain. The Act also has a special focus on nutritional support to pregnant and lactating women and children up to 14 years. Under the act in case of shortage of food grains or meals, the beneficiaries receive food security allowance.

The Government runs a lot of food security schemes like Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls, Annapurna Scheme etc.