Lok Sabha Question No. 502 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-06
Subject: Aadhaar Linkage under PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA, SUSHMITA DEV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 502 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06 TH  FEBRUARY, 2018

## AADHAAR LINKAGE UNDER PDS

502. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA: KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV:

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 having an Aadhaar card is mandatory for availing foodgrains from the Public Distribution System (PDS);
- (b) whether ration  cards  can  be  cancelled  if  these  are  not  linked  with Aadhaar, if so, the number of such cards having been cancelled;
- (c) whether  a  number  of  people  have  been  excluded  from  the  Public Distribution System due to the introduction of Aadhaar and if so, the details thereof including the number of ration cards that have been cancelled due to non-linkage with Aadhaar;
- (d) whether there have been incidents of deaths due to exclusion from the Public Distribution System since the introduction of Aadhaar and if so, the  details  thereof  alongwith  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  avoid such incidents;
- (e) whether there has been an increase in corruption in the PDS due to the cancellation of ration cards; and
- (f) the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  allow  citizens  without Aadhaar card to avail of rations under the PDS system?

## A N S W E R

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

- (a) to (f)  : As  per provisions of the notification issued vide SO No. 371[E] dated 8/2/17 [as amended from time to time], by the Department of  Food & Public  Distribution,    Government  of  India,  all  the  eligible  beneficiaries entitled to receive subsidised foodgrains or Cash Transfer of Food Subsidy

under National Food Security Act [NFSA] 2013 who do not possess Aadhaar number  or,    are  not  yet  enrolled  for  Aadhaar,  but  are  desirous  of  availing subsidised food grains or Cash Transfer of Food Subsidies under NFSA, are required  to  make  application  for  Aadhaar  enrolment  by  31/3/2018.  The notification provides that till the Aadhaar is assigned to beneficiaries/households, benefit of subsidized food grains or Cash Transfer for Food grains under NFSA shall be given to such beneficiaries/households subject to the production of Ration Card, and either Aadhaar Enrolment ID Slip,  or  copy  of  his/her  request  made  to  State  Government  for  Aadhaar Enrolment along with any of the 8 documents listed in the said notification (i.e.  Voter  ID  Card,  PAN  Card,  Passport,  Driving  License,  Certificate  of Identity  with  photo  issued  by  Gazetted  Officer/Tehsildar  on  official  letter head, Address card having Name and Photo issued by Department of Posts, Kisan  Photo  Passbook  and  any  other  document  as  specified  by  State/UT Governments).

Seeding of Aadhaar number with ration cards and biometric authentication helps in tackling leakages and diversion.

In the recent past a few reports have been published in print media about  starvation  deaths  in  the  States  of  Jharkhand,  Uttar  Pradesh  and Karnataka. However, the State Governments reported that deaths could not be attributed to starvation/denial of subsidised foodgrains.

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