Lok Sabha Question No. 176 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Allocation of Foodgrains to Kerala
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: P.K.SREEMATHI TEACHER, N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 176

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 TH  MARCH, 2017

Allocation of Foodgrains to Kerala

- *176. SHRIMATI P.K. SREEMATHI TEACHER: SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

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 of Kerala has demanded allocation of more foodgrains for public distribution and  if so, the action taken  by the Government thereon;
- (b) the details of demand and allocation of foodgrains to Kerala during each of the last two years;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that the distribution and supply of foodgrains  implemented  on  the  basis  of  National  Food  Security  Act  have adversely  affected  the  Public  Distribution  System  in  Kerala  and  if  so,  the action taken to protect the existing Public Distribution System in Kerala; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  received  representations  from  Kerala seeking extension of time for implementation of provisions of the National Food Security Act so as to protect the existing Public Distribution  System and  if  so,  the  details  of  the  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  with  the support of Kerala for continuing the existing ration distribution system in the State?

A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  THE  STARRED QUESTION NO. 176 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 14.3.2017 IN THE LOK SABHA

(a) to (d) The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), which came into force with effect from 5 th  July, 2013 seeks to provide for food and nutritional security. The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving highly subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System  (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the population at Census 2011 population.  The quota of foodgrains under NFSA for the States/UTs has been fixed considering the coverage of population of the State under the Act and the average annual offtake of foodgrains provided under AAY, BPL, APL and Additional APL categories under erstwhile TPDS during the three financial years prior to enactment of NFSA.

NFSA has been implemented by Kerala with effect from 1st Nov, 2016 and as per the provision of the Act, 118754.083 tons of foodgrains per month is being  allocated  to  Kerala.    State  of  Kerala  can  annually  be  granted  upto  a maximum of 14.25 lakh MT of foodgrains while protecting the offtake of foodgrain of  three  years  prior  to  the  period  when  NFSA  came  into  effect.    Foodgrain allocation to Kerala is done in terms of the policy which is uniformly applicable to all  the  36  States/Union  Territories.    Kerala  has  been  demanding  additional allocation of around 2 lakh MT of foodgrain over and above its entitlement under NFSA.

The allocation of foodgrain made to Kerala during the past two years i.e. 2014-15 and 2015-16 under the erstwhile TPDS system is tabulated below:

(Figures in tons)

| Allocation Year   | TPDS Normal   | TPDS Normal   | TPDS Normal   | TPDS Normal   | Additional Allocation   | Additional Allocation   | Total Allocation   |
|-------------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------|
|                   | AAY           | BPL           | APL           | Total         | APL                     | BPL                     |                    |
| 2014-15           | 250260        | 402348        | 573996        | 1226 724      | 247625                  | 120890                  | 1595239            |
| 2015-16           | 250260        | 402348        | 573996        | 1226 724      | 245964                  | 119172                  | 1591860            |

The commitment of the Government is to provide subsidized foodgrain to the  poorest  section  of  the  society.    Prior  to  the  implementation  of  NFSA  under erstwhile  TPDS  system,  5.96  lakh  AAY  families  (31.47  lakh  persons)  were allocated  about  2.50  lakh  MT  of  foodgrain  @  Rs.3/2  per  kg  for  rice/wheat respectively and 9.58 lakh BPL families (50.58 lakh persons) were allocated about 5.02  lakh  MT  of  foodgrain  @  Rs.5.65/4.15  per  kg  for  rice/wheat  respectively. Subsequent to implementation of NFSA with effect from 1 st  November, 2016, 5.96 lakh  AAY  families  (25.59  lakh  persons)  and  129  lakh  persons  under  priority household  category  are  being  annually  allocated  10.25  lakh  MT  of  foodgrain  @ Rs.3/2 per kg for rice/wheat respectively.   Thus under NFSA, a larger section of the poorer people are getting foodgrain at more subsidized prices than before.

Kerala has been demanding additional allocation of around 2 lakh MT of foodgrain  over  and  above  its  annual  entitlement  of  14.25  lakh  MT  under  NFSA. Kerala has been informed that the additional allocation of foodgrain can be made at Economic Cost as  per the extant policy of Government of India.  Moreover, the State  Government  can  also  explore  procurement  of  foodgrain  under  the  Open Market Sales Scheme  (OMSS) as the cost of foodgrain under OMSS  is comparatively lesser than the Economic Cost.

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