NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday he appreciated the Supreme Court's sentiment behind its suggestion about distributing foodgrain free to the poor, but made it clear that it was not a practical idea.   "How can foodgrain be distributed free to an estimated 37 percent of the population which lives below the poverty line," Manmohan Singh asked during an interaction with editors at his official residence. He said this when asked about a recent Supreme Court order directing Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to distribute foodgrain free to the poor instead of allowing it to rot.   It was not possible to give free foodgrain to all the poor, Manmohan Singh said, adding that he had not seen the final judgment of the court.   The prime minister stressed that he respected the "sentiments" behind the decision and assured that a way would be found to ensure that the people's needs are met at a time when foodgrain is rotting.

NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday he appreciated the Supreme Court's sentiment behind its suggestion about distributing foodgrain free to the poor, but made it clear that it was not a practical idea.   "How can foodgrain be distributed free to an estimated 37 percent of the population which lives below the poverty line," Manmohan Singh asked during an interaction with editors at his official residence. He said this when asked about a recent Supreme Court order directing Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to distribute foodgrain free to the poor instead of allowing it to rot.   It was not possible to give free foodgrain to all the poor, Manmohan Singh said, adding that he had not seen the final judgment of the court.   The prime minister stressed that he respected the "sentiments" behind the decision and assured that a way would be found to ensure that the people's needs are met at a time when foodgrain is rotting.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today made it clear that it had ordered free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing it to rot in godowns and it was not a suggestion as made out by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.   "It was not a suggestion. It is there in our order. You tell the Minister," the court told the government counsel. The apex court had on August 12 asked the Centre to consider free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing it to rot in Food Corporation of India godowns.   The court had passed the direction while dealing with a public interest litigation filed by civil rights group PUCL on rampant corruption in Public Distribution System (PDS) besides rotting of food grains in FCI godowns. Following this, Pawar had said it was not possible to implement the "suggestion" of the court for free distribution.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today made it clear that it had ordered free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing it to rot in godowns and it was not a suggestion as made out by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.   "It was not a suggestion. It is there in our order. You tell the Minister," the court told the government counsel. The apex court had on August 12 asked the Centre to consider free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing it to rot in Food Corporation of India godowns.   The court had passed the direction while dealing with a public interest litigation filed by civil rights group PUCL on rampant corruption in Public Distribution System (PDS) besides rotting of food grains in FCI godowns. Following this, Pawar had said it was not possible to implement the "suggestion" of the court for free distribution.

Though India is an agrarian economy, lakhs of rural poor starve as tonnes of foodgrains rot in government godowns, due to our inefficient Public Distribution System (PDS). A scheme that can streamline this allows for direct-to-home bulk distribution to consumers, writes SHASHWAT GUPTA RAY .   A pilot programme, which proposes that beneficiaries of the PDS will get full quota of foodgrains periodically directly at their doorstep - Home Delivery of Foodgrains, is being implemented in Pune district.   The beneficiaries would have to pay a subsidised sum for the foodgrains, thus making them in people's reach directly, instead of rotting in government godowns. “With this, the actual need of consumers is taken into account and ration card-holders are asked to make payment in advance. Consumers are asked to be ready with the money to pay for the required amount of foodgrains,” District Supply Officer Ravi Kulkarni told 'Sakal Times'.