More food grain quota on cards as Tamil Nadu plans to stick to universal PDS

However, there were no consumers in front of the shops since they were turned away earlier for want of stock. Consumers had drawn rations only a week ago for Deepavali.

Shopkeepers told DTNext, “We are aware of the increased stock of rice we have to disburse to card holders. We are waiting for stocks to be moved to the shops in the next couple of days.” 

“The fact that Tamil Nadu was planning to stick to the universal PDS would result in allocation of more food grains to consumers” Civil Supplies officials said.

“The ceiling of 20 kilos rice per family card will be the minimum. If a card has five members, the family will now get 25 kilos rice (at 5 kg per head) and not 20 kg as was done earlier. Children too have been treated on a par with adults and will draw the same 5 kg rice” the officials added. The breather for department officials came in the form of low demand from consumers immediately. But officials anticipate increased demand when the rations for November become due.

The state has on stock 1.60 lakh MT of boiled rice and another 31,485 MT of raw rice ready to serve a total of 2.05 crore ration cards including Anthothya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards through 34,776 fair price shops in 285 taluks in 32 districts. 

Under Tamil Nadu’s universal PDS, the earlier allotment was 12 kg per adult, followed by four kg per additional unit (adult) and 2 kg per child with a monthly ceiling of 20 kg. The government provides 4 kg more than the ceiling per card in The Nilgiris district while AAY cards get 35 kg free rice every month.

The government will continue with the universal PDS while implementing NFSA. Thus, a family with one adult member will now get 12 kg as before and not 5 kg under NFSA. Two members will get 16 kg (12 kg per adult and 4 kg for additional unit) as before and not 10 kg under NFSA. If there are three adults and two children, they will be entitled to 25 kg and if the family has seven members, they will get 35 kg. 

There are 1.84 crore Green card holders in the state which are eligible for all commodities, 10.67 lakh White cards that are entitled for commodities other than rice, 59, 460 Khaki cards earmarked for the police personnel and another 62, 443 White cards meant for use as identity proof only.