State governments apparently stand to lose their leeway to indulge in BPL politics with the implementation of the National Food Security Bill, which in some ways explain their opposition to the legislation legally entitling beneficiaries to get subsidised foodgrains.
The presentation made before the Cabinet meeting, a copy of which is with this newspaper, suggests that the food bill would cover much less number of people than the number of ration cards under below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) issued by all state governments.
While all states have issued 10.76 crore BPL cards, the food bill proposes to cover 9.78 crore families only under the priority group, which would replace the BPL category.
Further, all the state governments have issued 13.26 crore APL cards, while the food bill proposes to cover 6.49 crore families only in the general group, which would replace the APL category.
The food bill estimates a family to consist of five members.
A note on comparison of existing targeted PDS (TPDS) and food bill further highlights that while the Centre accepted number of families under BPL at 6.52 crore only, the states have issued 10.76 BPL cards in all, which a senior official said is indicative of populist trend on the part of ruling party in states to push number of beneficiaries upwards to nurse their political constituencies.