BPL families to be supplied 2.5 mn tonnes additional wheat, rice

NEW DELHI - The central government will supply additional 2.5 million tonnes of wheat and rice for families below poverty line (BPL) and another 2.5 million tonnes for above poverty line families at a subsidised price, it was announced Tuesday.

We will supply additional 25 lakh tonnes for the BPL category. It will be over and above what we give to the states, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told reporters here after a meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM).

The EGoM, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, has also decided to supply 25 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice for above poverty line (APL) categories at BPL prices, the minister said.