Lok Sabha Question No. 290 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-06
Subject: National Food Security Act
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: PARASURAMAN K., KIRRON KHER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 290

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 06 th  DECEMBER, 2016

## NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT

*290. SHRI K. PARASURAMAN:

SHRIMATI KIRRON KHER:

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  National  Food  Security  Act,  2013  targets  nutrition security and if so, the details thereof including the intended benefits;
- (b)   whether  any  mechanism  has  been  put  in  place  to  monitor  the quality of food provided through National Food Security Act, 2013 and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)   the details of funds/assistance sought by the States and provided by  the  Government  for  implementation  of  NFSA,  State/UT-wise  along with  the  steps  taken/proposed  to  ensure  that  the  NFSA  is  fully implemented  all  over  the  country and  the  time  by  which  this  goal  is envisaged to be achieved; and
- (d)   whether  the  Government  has  made  any  analysis  of  the  progress made  in  PDS  after  implementation  of  NFSA,  and  if  so,  the  details  of difficulties and hurdles that still exist in the implementation of NFSA in several States and the response of the Government thereto including remedial action taken/proposed in this regard?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM  VILAS 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  STARRED QUESTION NO. 290 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 06.12.2016  IN THE LOK SABHA

- (a):    National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach. In addition to the legal entitlement to two-thirds  of  the  population  of  the  country  to  receive  highly  subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), the Act contains provisions for nutritional support to pregnant women and lactating mothers and children upto fourteen years of age, through meal, free of charge, as per specified nutritional standards. The Act also provides for maternity benefit of not  less  than  Rs.  6000/-  to  pregnant  women  and  lactating  mothers.  The specific provisions for nutritional support under NFSA target pregnant women & lactating mothers and children upto fourteen years of age, which are very crucial groups for improving the overall nutritional status.
- (b):      Mechanism adopted for ensuring quality of foodgrains and meals is at Annexure - I.
- (c):      The  National  Food  Security  Act  is  being  implemented  in  all  the States/Union  Territories(UTs).  The  Act  provides  for  central  assistance  to States/UTs in meeting the expenditure incurred on intra-State movement and handling of foodgrains and margin paid to fair price shop dealers. State-wise details of fund released during 2015-16 and 2016-17 is at Annexure - II. Also, Rs. 31.48 lakh and Rs. 21.43 lakh have been released to Government of Bihar and  Odisha  respectively  as  part  of  one  time  financial  assistance  for  nonbuilding assets of the State Food Commission.

(d) : For bringing efficiency and transparency, the Government is implementing a  scheme  of  End-to-End  Computerization  of  TPDS  operations,  under  which financial and technical assistance is provided to States/UTs. Progress in TPDS Computerization is reviewed/ monitored with States/UTs at various level and advisories are issued, wherever required.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 290 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 06.12.2016 IN LOK SABHA

## A. Foodgrains under TPDS :

To ensure supply of good quality of foodgrains  under TPDS and other welfare schemes, instructions are issued from time to time to State Governments and Food Corporation of  India  (FCI)  to  follow  the  prescribed  procedure  to  issue  the  foodgrains  to  State Governments from FCI godowns, which are summarized as follows:

- i. Only good quality of foodgrains free from insect infestation and conforming to Food Safety Standards are to be issued under TPDS and other welfare schemes.
- ii. Ample  opportunities  are  to  be  provided  to  the  officials  of  the  State  Government/ Union Territories (UTs) Administrations to inspect the stocks prior to lifting from FCI godowns. States/UTs may ensure that officers not below the rank of Inspector are deputed for inspection of the foodgrains before their lifting from FCI godowns.
- iii. The  samples  from  the  stocks  to  be  issued  to  States/UTs  under  TPDS  and  other welfare  schemes  are  to  be  drawn  jointly  and  sealed  by  the  officers  of  the  State Governments and FCI for displaying them at the counter of Fair Price Shop (FPS) for the benefit of consumers. A duplicate sealed sample  is to be kept with concerned FCI depots/ godowns for any future reference. In case the State agencies are taking delivery from FCI and thereafter delivering the same to the FPS dealers, they should also follow the  same procedure as is being followed by FCI for issuing the  jointly sealed samples.
- iv. Type sealed samples should be displayed by the FPS dealers in their shops, so that the ration card holders/consumers may check the quality of foodgrains supplied to them.  FPS  dealers  should  also  maintain  a  complaint  register  to  enable  the consumers  to  lodge  their  complaints/  opinions,  in  case  the  quality  of  foodgrains issued is not proper quality standards.

- v. It  i s  the responsibility of the concerned State  Government/UT Administration to ensure that during transportation and storage at difference stages in the distribution chain, the foodgrains  retain  the  required  quality  specifications.  For  this  purpose,  all  required measures  are  to  be  taken  for  scientific  storage  of foodgrains  so  that  there is  no deterioration in their quality at any stage till they are delivered to the ration card holders/ consumer.
- vi. Where decentralized procurement  is  in operation, State Government should  follow  the same procedure of inspection of foodgrains stocks and joint sealed sampling to ensure that  the  quality  of  foodgrains  issue  under  TPDS  and  other  welfare  schemes  meet  the desired standards under the Food Safety Standard Act.

## B. Supplementary nutrition under Integrated Child Development Services Scheme:

For  preparation  of  meals  and  maintenance  of  its  standards  and  quality,  the  Supplementary Nutrition (Under Integrated Child Development Services Scheme) Rules, 2015, notified under NFSA, provide as under:

- i. The meal shall be prepared as per the guidelines, instructions or orders issued by the Central Government from time to time (taking into account the orders or 'guidelines issued  by  the  Supreme  Court  or High  Courts),  and  the provisions of Schedule  II of NFSA and any other  law  for the  time being  in force.
- ii. The  State  Governments  and  the  Union  Territory  Administrations,  with  the support  of  Food  and  Nutrition  Board  (FNB)  shall  ensure  the  quality  of supplementary nutrition with reference to the norms of food safety, as well as food composition.
- iii. The Supplementary Nutrition shall conform to the standards laid down under the  provisions  of  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards Act,  2006  to  ensure consistent  quality  and  nutritive  value  of  the  intervention  per  serving  and  it shall  also  be  ensured  that  the  meal  is  prepared  in  kitchen  having  adequate sanitation and safe drinking water to maintain hygienic conditions.
- iv. It  shall  be  the  responsibility  of  the  concerned  Programme  Officer  and  the Child Development Project Officer  under  the ICDS  to ensure  the quality of supplementary provision with reference to the norms of food safety as well as food composition.

- v. FNB,  in  collaboration  with  the  State  Governments  and  the  Union  Territory Administrations, shall carry out periodic checks and test the meal or get it tested through the  Government Food  Research Laboratory accredited or recognized by any law for the time being in force, so as to ensure that the meal meets with the nutritional standards and quality specified in Schedule II of NFSA.
- vi. Similarly,  the  officers,  as  authorized  by  the  State  Governments  or  the  Union Territory  Administrations, shall  also conduct surprise checks and draw samples and get them tested through the above laboratories to ensure quality and nutrient value of the meal.
- vii. The Food should be tasted by the Anganwadi worker or helper before it is served to the beneficiaries at Anganwadi Centre.

C.  Mid  Day  Meal: The  Mid-Day-  Meal  Rules,  2015,  notified  under  NFSA  provides  the following with regard to testing of meals by accredited Laboratories:

(i)  Hot  cooked  meal  provided to children  shall be  evaluated and  certified by  the  Government Food Research Laboratory accredited or recognized by law, so as to ensure that the meal meets with the nutritional standards and quality standards and quality specified in Schedule II to NFSA. The Food and Drugs Administration Department of the State may collect samples to ensure the nutritive value and quality of the meals.

(ii)  The Food and Drugs Administration Department of the State Governments shall collect the sample at least once in a month from randomly selected schools or centralized kitchen and send such samples for examinations to the laboratories referred to at (i) above.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 290 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 06.12.2016 IN LOK SABHA

Fund  released  to States/UTs  for  meeting expenditure on  intra-State movement  &  handling of foodgrains and FPS dealers' margin

| 2015-16   | 2015-16            | 2015-16                         |
|-----------|--------------------|---------------------------------|
| S.No.     | States/UTs         | Fund released (Amount in lakh)  |
| 1         | Chandigarh         | 31.11                           |
| 2         | Dadra &NagarHaveli | 3.79                            |
| 3         | Delhi              | 35.03                           |
| 4         | Goa                | 56.40                           |
| 5         | Lakshadweep        | 13.89                           |
| 6         | Mizoram            | 31.72                           |
| 7         | Sikkim             | 89.89                           |
| Total     | Total              | 261.83                          |
| 2016-17   | 2016-17            | 2016-17                         |
| S.No.     | States/UTs         | Fund released (Amount in crore) |
| 1         | Bihar              | 501.39                          |
| 2         | Assam              | 124.06                          |
| 3         | Tripura            | 15.82                           |
| 4         | Karnataka          | 328.41                          |
| 5         | Maharashtra        | 593.00                          |
| 6         | Rajasthan          | 256.34                          |
| 7         | Madhya Pradesh     | 380.97                          |
| Total     | Total              | 2200.00                         |

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