Page 2 - Food Subsidy

Fate of world's biggest free food programme rests in PM Modi's hands

PM Modi will soon decide whether to extend a food dole out that has cost India $44 billion since the pandemic, or ease the strain on government finances and food supply

Dept of Expenditure warns against extending the free food scheme: Report

In an internal note, the FinMin's Dept of Expenditure has warned that extension of the free food scheme beyond September or any more tax cuts will have consequences for the Centre's fiscal situation

Delhi HC sets aside AAP government's doorstep ration delivery scheme

Court said the Delhi govt is free to bring another doorstep delivery scheme but it cannot use grains provided by the Centre for this doorstep scheme

Centre releases Rs 2.94 trn to FCI, states as food subsidy last fiscal

The Centre has released Rs 2,94,718 crore towards food subsidy during the last fiscal to Food Corporation of India (FCI) and states, which is slightly higher than the revised budget estimates. During the financial year 2021-22, the Department of Food & Public Distribution released Rs 2,94,718 crore towards food subsidy, under both DCP (decentralised procurement) and non-DCP operations put together, against the revised Estimates of Rs 2,92,419.11 crore. "This release of food subsidy is about 140% of the food subsidy released during 2020-21 and about 267 per cent of the food subsidy released during 2019-20," an official statement said. The subsidy has been released for procurement operations under MSP (minimum support price) and seamless distribution of foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA). In the last fiscal, the department spent 99.83 per cent of its expenditure by incurring Rs 3,04,361 crores against net .

India's poor deprived in more ways than one, but state count misses that

Income, consumption or lack of "capabilities": what makes a person poor in India?

Centre extends free foodgrain scheme by 6 months at Rs 80,000-cr extra cost

Centre's decision comes hours after UP government, under CM Yogi Adityanath, decided to continue the free ration scheme for another 3 months

Par panel says food subsidy still very high, scope for further reduction

The Committee note that allocation of funds - in respect of food subsidy during 2021-22 is Rs 2,90,573.11 crore but actual expenditure as on February 11, 2022, is Rs 2,20,445.61 crore only

India's food subsidies plan needs to improve coverage, plug leakages

A crucial safety net, the food subsidy is used to protect farmers against low market prices and provide consumers with affordable food grains through the public distribution system (PDS)

Union Budget provides less for food and fertiliser subsidies

The petroleum subsidy is pegged at Rs 5,813 crore, which is 11 per cent less

Economic Survey: Food subsidies grew by 400% to Rs 5.25 trn

The steep rise in food subsidy bill was on account of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana introduced as part of the Economic Response to Covid-19

Budget 2022: Steep subsidy sums for food and fertiliser likely

Budget 2022: Subsidies have been a bugbear of the Indian economy for long

Food subsidy in FY22 to be about Rs 4 trn vs BE of Rs 2.4 trn: Food secy

Under NFSA, the Centre gives highly subsidised food grains at Rs 1-3 per kg to over 810 million people through the public distribution system

Food subsidy to be little less than Rs 4 trn in FY22: Food secretary

The government's food subsidy is expected to be a little less than Rs 4 lakh crore in the financial year 2021-22 as against Rs 5.29 lakh crore in previous fiscal, Food Secretary Sudhansu Pandey said

CAG flags lack of transparency in food subsidy for FY17 and FY18

The CAG report said the government undertook funding of revenue and capital expenditure using extra budgetary resources in both the years

From India to US, sharpest rise in food price since 1970s challenges govts

Global food prices were up 33% in August from a year earlier with vegetable oil, grains and meat on the rise, data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization show

Need food, farm subsidy reforms to improve fiscal position: Finance Secy

Finance Secretary T V Somanathan on Tuesday underlined the need for improving the fiscal position of the government through reforms in farm, food and fertilizer subsidies

Second Covid wave, global prices could derail Centre's FY22 subsidy maths

The Centre's plan to start FY22 on a clean slate seems to have gone for a toss within just six months after it cleared the food subsidy backlog and paid its pending liabilities to NSSF

Centre surpasses its revenue targets but higher food subsidy cancels gains

While govt made Rs 1.16 trn more revenue, it spent Rs 1.18 trn more on food subsidy too. But it can be said that the govt used the gains it made to settle FCI arrears once and for all

Will reimburse pending Rs 4,832 cr food subsidies: Govt to Chhattisgarh CM

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has assured Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of reimbursing pending food subsidies worth Rs 4,832 crores

60% of govt 'spending spree' inevitably goes towards committed outlay

With schemes like MGNREGA and cash support via PM-KISAN given priority in allocation from the remainder, govt is forced to dip into capital receipts from disinvestment and borrow from the market