The Nitish Kumar Government on Friday revised the Public Distribution System (PDS) and slashed the quota of foodgrain for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families from 35 to 25 kg and that of kerosene from four to three litre. Announcing the revision in the Assembly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the number of BPL families in rural areas had increased to 1.13 crore and thereby it was not possible to maintain the existing quota till the Centre accepted the state's demand and increased its allocation of foodgrains and kerosene. At the same time, however, the Bihar Government claimed that distribution of 25 kg of foodgrain to each family would not hit the rural poor as the members per family had decreased from 6.16 to 4.38. The Government said even to distribute the slashed quota it would have to spend Rs 868 crore from its own kitty. "To provide 25 kg of grains to BPL and Antoday families, 3,03,525 metric tonne is needed, while the Central allocation is just 2.28 mt. The state will use its resources to procure the extra 75,209 mt,' the press release said. For a long time now, the Nitish Kumar Government has been demanding an increase in Central allocation of foodgrains and kerosene, while stressing that the number of poor families in the state had increased.