Lok Sabha Question No. 2916 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-13
Subject: Black Marketing of Foodgrains
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: HARISH CHANDRA MEENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2916 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH  MARCH, 2018 BLACK MARKETING OF FOODGRAINS

2916. SHRI HARISH MEENA:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  complaints  regarding black marketing of foodgrains, diversion of foodgrains, poor quality and high pricing  of  foodgrains,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  during  the  last  three  years; State-wise;
- (b) the details of action taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (c) whether punitive action has been taken/proposed against the officers involved/responsible  for  the  above  irregularities/malpractices,  if  so,  the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

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

- (a)  to  (c):  Public  Distribution  System  (PDS)  is  operated  under  the  joint responsibility  of  the  Central  and  State/UT  Governments.  Central  Govt.  is responsible for procurement, allocation and transportation of foodgrains upto the  designated  depots  of  the  FCI.  The  operational  responsibilities  for allocation and distribution of foodgrains within the States/UTs, identification of  eligible  beneficiaries/families,  issuance  of  ration  cards  to  them  and supervision and monitoring of functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) rest with the  concerned  State/UT  Government.  Instructions  have  been  issued  to State/UTs  and  Food  Corporation  of  India  (FCI)  to  ensure  supply  of  good quality  foodgrains  under  PDS.  Therefore,  as  and  when  complaints  are received  by  the  Government  from  individuals  and  organizations  as  well  as through press reports, they are sent to State/UT Governments concerned for inquiry and appropriate action. A statement indicating State-wise number of complaints  on  TPDS  received  in  the  department  from  2015  to  2017  is  at Annexure.

An offence committed in violation of the provisions of TPDS (C) Order, 2015 is liable  for  penal  action  under  the  Essential  Commodities  Act,  1955. Thus,  the  Order  empower  State/UT  Governments  to  take  punitive  action  in case of contravention of relevant provisions of these Orders.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2916 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 13.03.2018 IN THE LOK SABHA.

STATEMENT:      COMPLAINTS  ON  TPDS  RECEIVED  IN  THE  DEPARTMENT  FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANISATIONS & THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS ETC FROM 2015 TO 2017.

| S. No.   | State/UT          | 2015   | 2016   | 2017   |
|----------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 8      | 5      | 10     |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 1      | -      | -      |
| 3        | Assam             | 34     | 32     | 17     |
| 4        | Bihar             | 106    | 81     | 169    |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 6      | 9      | 9      |
| 6        | Delhi             | 114    | 91     | 98     |
| 7        | Goa               | -      | 1      | 2      |
| 8        | Gujarat           | 8      | 12     | 9      |
| 9        | Haryana           | 35     | 34     | 47     |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh  | 4      | 5      | 6      |
| 11       | J&K               | 6      | 3      | 4      |
| 12       | Jharkhand         | 32     | 29     | 35     |
| 13       | Karnataka         | 16     | 22     | 28     |
| 14       | Kerala            | 17     | 23     | 13     |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh    | 17     | 25     | 21     |
| 16       | Maharashtra       | 49     | 63     | 77     |
| 17       | Manipur           | 6      | 4      | 2      |
| 18       | Meghalaya         | 7      | 9      | -      |
| 19       | Mizoram           | -      | -      | 2      |
| 20       | Nagaland          | -      | 2      | 2      |
| 21       | Orissa            | 22     | 43     | 22     |
| 22       | Punjab            | 10     | 7      | 5      |
| 23       | Rajasthan         | 33     | 59     | 82     |
| 24       | Sikkim            | -      | 1      | -      |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu        | 22     | 33     | 31     |
| 26       | Telangana         | 10     | 1      | 4      |
| 27       | Tripura           | -      | 1      | 1      |
| 28       | Uttarakhand       | 24     | 21     | 22     |
| 29       | Uttar Pradesh     | 197    | 462    | 445    |
| 30       | West Bengal       | 32     | 29     | 49     |
| 31       | A&N Island        | -      | 1      | -      |
| 32       | Chandigarh        | 6      | 2      | -      |
| 33       | D& N Haveli       | -      | 1      | -      |
| 34       | Daman & Diu       | -      | -      | -      |
| 35       | Lakshadweep       | -      | -      | -      |
| 36       | Puducherry        | -      | -      | 1      |
| TOTAL    | TOTAL             | 822    | 1111   | 1213   |

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