NEW DELHI: There is hardly any indication of the Centre expanding the coverage of supplying highly subsidized foodgrains under the National Food Security Act even as some cities have announced to provide free foodgrains to the poor who are not covered under the Central law.Top food ministry functionaries said the states have full authority to decide about the beneficiaries and increasing their number. They can take as much grain as they want from the Food Corporation India (FCI) at Rs 21 (wheat) and Rs 22 (rice) a kg to distribute to these additional beneficiaries for free of cost or at subsidized rate.Officials said the decision to offload FCI grain stock at this rate to states was decided last month so that states don’t face any shortage of foodgrains they want to distribute.“The NFSA enacted in 2013 stipulates the coverage based on 2011 census and it’s applicable for 10 years. However, since we are aware about the states’ requirement we are making the grains available to them. Buying grains at notified rates won’t impact their allocation from central pool, which takes care of the beneficiaries covered under NFSA,” a source said.Meanwhile, the FCI has transported about 4.42 lakh tonnes of froodgrains through 158 trains to North Eastern states, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said. This is double its average of about 80 train loads per month.Food ministry said North East has unique logistical challenges as not all areas have rail access. Out of total 86 depots operated by FCI in seven states in the region, only 38 are fed through rail movement. While entire Meghalaya depends on road transport for grain supply, only two 2 depots out of 13 in Arunachal are get supply by rail. Manipur is supported by road movement from Dimapur rail head in Nagaland