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Centre has spent Rs 46,000 cr on food subsidies this fiscal

The government has released Rs 46,000 crore this fiscal so far on account of food subsidies to Food Corporation of India (FCI) and some states, Parliament was informed on Friday.

'During the current financial year 2013-14, an amount of Rs 46,348.92 crore (Rs 41,558.52 crore for FCI and Rs 4,790.68 crore for states under DCP) has been released on account of food subsidy as on 20 August, 2013,' Food Minister K V Thomas informed Rajya Sabha.

In the budget allocation, the government had provided Rs 90,000 crore for food subsidy for 2013-14 against the revised estimate of Rs 85,000 crore in the financial year 2012-13.

The government provides subsidy to food corporation of India and Decentralised Procurement (DCP) states for supplying foodgrains under public distribution system and other welfare schemes at fixed price.

'The annual financial burden after implementation of National Food Security Ordinance is estimated to be Rs 1,24,800 crore approx at current cost,' Thomas said, adding that the additional financial burden is estimated at Rs 23,850 crore annually on the Union government.

Under the food security programme, the minister said 75 per cent of the rural and 50 per cent of the urban population at all India level will be entitled to receive subsidised food grains under the targeted public distribution system (TPDS).The Union Government will provide 5 kg rice and wheat per month per person at Rs  3  and Rs 2 per kg  respectively, to 67 per cent of the country's total population.
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