Lok Sabha Question No. 2482 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-02
Subject: Food Security under PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: BHAGIRATH PRASAD, DINESH TRIVEDI, C.S. PUTTARAJU, KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA, ANTO  ANTONY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2482

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02 nd  JANUARY, 2018

## FOOD SECURITY UNDER PDS

2482. DR. BHAGIRATH PRASAD: SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI: SHRI C.S. PUTTA RAJU: SHRIMATI KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA: SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the schemes of the Government of India to provide food security under Public Distribution System;
- (b) whether the process of linking of Aadhaar no. with ration cards of the people has been completed, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government of India has made Aadhaar Card mandatory for  the  beneficiaries  under  Public  Distribution  System,  if  so,  the  reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  investigation  into  the numerous cases of ration being denied to people because of lack of Aadhaar Cards/linkage of ration to Aadhaar Cards, if so, the details thereof, if not, the
- reasons therefor;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  action  against  Fair  Price Shops that have been reported to deny ration to people for lack of Aadhaar Cards, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f) whether  the Government  has  taken  any  steps  to ensure that legitimate ration cardholders are not denied supplies from ration shops for not having Aadhaar card, if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) whether the Government is aware that people have starved to death as a result of not getting timely supply of rations, if so, the total number of people who have died in the country in the last few months?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a): The  Government  is  implementing  the  National  Food  Security  Act, 2013 (NFSA), which provides for coverage of 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population to receive foodgrains at highly subsidized prices of Rs.1/2/3 per kg for coarse grains/wheat/rice respectively. The Act is being implemented in all the States/UTs and 80.72 crore persons are covered for receiving highly subsidized foodgrains.

(b):  As per the information received from States/UTs, out of total 23.10 crore ration  cards,  18.89 crore  ration  cards  have  been  seeded  with  Aadhar.  At present the Aadhar seeding at national level is 81.75%.

(c) to (g): The  Department  of  Food  and  Public  Distribution  (DFPD)  has issued a Notification dated 08.02.2017 [as amended from time to time] which inter-alia provides for linking of Aadhaar of eligible beneficiaries under NFSA with  Ration  Card.  However,  as  per  provisions  of  said  Notification,  those eligible beneficiaries under NFSA who do not possess Aadhaar, are required to  make  application  for  Aadhaar  enrolment  by  giving  their  name,  address, mobile number with Ration Card number and other details to their fair price shop owners or through the web portal provided for the purpose by State/UT. The said notification further provides that till the Aadhaar is assigned to the beneficiaries, entitlements under NFSA shall be given to such individuals on production of Ration Card and either Aadhaar Enrollment ID slip or copy of his/her request made to State Government for Aadhaar Enrollment along with any  of  the  8  documents  listed  in  the  said  notification.    In  the  light  of  the provisions of the above notification, benefits under NFSA cannot be denied by  State/UT  Governments  for  the  only  reason  that  eligible  beneficiaries  do not possess Aadhaar. A letter dated 24.10.2017 has also been issued to all the States/UTs with directions to strictly comply with the provisions of the above notification.

The  above  mentioned  notification as well as the letter  dated 24.10.2017 has been uploaded on the official website of Department of Food and Public Distribution.

In the recent past a few reports have been published in print media about starvation deaths in Jharkhand, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. However, the State Governments have informed that the deaths couldn't be attributed to starvation.

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