Lok Sabha Question No. 476 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-19
Subject: Quantity of Rice Released to Kerala
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: P.K.SREEMATHI TEACHER, P. KARUNAKARAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 476

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH  DECEMBER, 2017

## QUANTITY OF RICE RELEASED TO KERALA

## 476. SHRIMATI P.K. SREEMATHI TEACHER: SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN:

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  quantum  of  rice  released  to  Kerala  under  BPL,  APL  and  AAY through the Public Distribution System (PDS) during the last three years;
- (b) the details of wheat and rice released under various scheme for the last three years;
- (c) whether the distribution of Rice to Kerala State is pending and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  representation  from  the State of Kerala regarding more allocation of food grains and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## A N S W E R

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

(a) to (e):    Kerala implemented National Food Security Act, 2013 with effect from 1-Nov-2016.    Allocation of foodgrain to Kerala under TPDS and under NFSA is as given below:

|   S.No. | Year                              | Normal TPDS/NFSA Foodgrain allocation (Qty. MT)                                                                                              |
|---------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | 2014-15 - TPDS                    | 12,26,724 (that includes 10,01,844 MT of rice and 2,24,880 MT of wheat)                                                                      |
|       2 | 2015-16 - TPDS                    | 12,26,724 (that includes 10,01,844 MT of rice and 2,24,880 MT of wheat)                                                                      |
|       3 | 2016-17 - TPDS (April-Oct)        | 7,15,589 (that includes 05,84,409 MT of rice and 1,31,180 MT of wheat) (proportionate of 12,26,724 per annum for 7 months)                   |
|       4 | 2016-17 - NFSA (Nov'16- March'17) | 5,93,770.415 MT (that includes 4,78,578.960 MT of rice and 1,15,191.455 MT of wheat) (proportionate of 14,25,048.996 per annum for 5 months) |

In addition to the above, in view of surplus availability of foodgrains in  the  Central  Pool,  Government  of  India  also  made  additional ad  hoc allocation of foodgrain to Kerala to the tune of 3,68,639 MT, 3,65,256 MT and 91,314  MT  in  2014-15,  2015-16  and  2016-17  respectively  (which  includes 3,44,945 MT, 2,70,480 MT and 67,620 MT of rice and 23,694 MT, 94,776 MT and 23,694 MT of wheat respectively during these three years).

The  average  annual  offtake  of  foodgrains  under  erstwhile  TPDS (which includes Addl. APL) during three years immediately prior to the NFSA coming into force (2010-11 to 2012-13) in respect of Kerala was 14.25 lakh tons, which has completely been protected under NFSA.  This principle has uniformly been applied to all States/UTs under NFSA.

Under  erstwhile  TPDS,  only  2.50  lakh  MT  of  foodgrains  for  AAY households  was  being  allocated  per  year  at  Rs.2/3  per  kg  for  wheat/rice, whereas under NFSA, the annual allocation of 10.25 lakh tons (out of total 14.25  lakh  MT  of  foodgrain)  for  the  coverage  determined  for  the  State  is being  allocated  at  Rs.2/3  per  kg  for  wheat/rice,  which  results  in  higher subsidy  burden  on  Government  of  India  and  higher  savings  for  the  State Government/beneficiaries in Kerala.

Under  Welfare  Institution  Scheme  Kerala  was  allocated  2,136  MT, 2,322 MT and 1,728 MT of foodgrain (wheat and rice) during 2013-14, 2014-15 and  2015-16  respectively.    The  allocation  under  this  scheme  is  subject  to submission  of  UCs  and  unspent  balance  of  foodgrain  for  the  previous allocations.

Requests were received from the Government of Kerala for increasing foodgrain allocation to the State under NFSA.  However, in view of the uniform policy for all the States/UTs for determining foodgrain allocation under the Act, this could not be agreed to.  Government of Kerala has further been informed that any additional requirement of foodgrain over and above entitlement  under  NFSA  can  be  made  at  economic  cost.    The  State Government can also participate in Open Market Sale Scheme (D) organized by FCI as the rate of foodgrain under OMSS (D) is less than that of economic cost.

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