More than 12 crore people covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana
Rajya Sabha
In order to make TPDS more focused and targeted towards the poorest of the poor families in the country, the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) was launched in December, 2000 to cover one crore such families amongst the BPL families. Subsequently, this scheme has been expanded during 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, to add 50 lakh AAY households each time. Thus, the target of the Government is to cover 2.50 crore families under this scheme. Against the target, various State/UT Governments have so far identified about 2.40 crore families (more than 12 crore persons) and issued distinctive ration cards to them. The Central Government is allocating foodgrains for these 2.4 crore AAY families at the scale of 35 kg. per family per month under TPDS. Rice and wheat are being distributed to them at Rs. 3/- per kg. and Rs. 2/- per kg. since December, 2000.
As per the guidelines issued by the Central Government to the State/UT Governments for identification of AAY families, the following categories of people are covered under the scheme:
(i) Landless agriculture labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans/craftmen such as potters/tanners, weavers, blacksmiths, carpenters, slum dwellers, and persons earning their livelihood on daily basis in the informal sector like porters, collies, rickshaw pullers, hand cart pullers, fruit and flower sellers, snake charmers, rag pickers, cobblers, destitute and other similar categories in both rural and urban areas, provided they are the poorest among BPL families.
(ii) Households headed by widows or terminally ill persons/disabled persons/ persons aged 60 years or more with no assured means of subsistence or societal support.
(iii) Widows or terminally ill persons or disabled persons or persons aged 60 years or more single women or single men with no families or societal support or assured means of subsistence.
(iv) All primitive tribal households.
This information was given in the Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Dr. Akhilesh Prasad Singh in a written reply.
MP:CP:rajya(f)31.8.2007
(Release ID :30748)