The Centre has asked the States to make Public Distribution System (PDS) efficient along with social audit. Addressing the two-day Conference of State Food Ministers in New Delhi today, the Minister of State for Food and PDS, Prof. K V Thomas said the processes for strengthening of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) also needs to be expedited. He said with the active and willing cooperation of States and Union Territories, the government will make a grand success of the proposed National Food Security Bill.

Prof Thomas said the States must ensure that the subsidised foodgrains reached the people. He said it is the duty of the states to ensure distribution of quality foodgrains. He said the country is in a comfortable position in terms of foodgrains stocks in the Central pool, which stands at over 66 million tonnes till this month against the buffer stock norm of over 21 million tonnes. In this context, he underlined the need for creation of adequate storage facilities at all levels. He said under the Scheme of Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme, the Centre is creating over 181 lakh tonnes capacity of storage through private entrepreneurs, Central and State Warehousing Corporations.

The Minister said the government is considering an alternate model of direct transfer of food subsidy to check the leakage and diversions.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who also addressed the conference, said that the country's foodgrains production is expected to fall by nearly 3 per cent at 250 million tonnes in 2012-13 crop year. He said foodgrains production stood at an all-time high of 257.44 million tonnes in 2011-12 crop year (July-June) on the back of record output of wheat and rice. The production of foodgrains is estimated to decline due to drought in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. In initial estimate, the Agriculture Ministry has projected 10 per cent fall in Kharif output at 117.18 million tonnes, but it hopes to make up some of the shortfall in rabi.

The Agriculture Minister said that the programme of Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India is showing commendable progress. He added that the paddy production in the country is poised to steadily increase in the coming years. The minister said that the overall availability of foodgrains and its efficient distribution is key for country's food security.