Lok Sabha Question No. 418 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-04
Subject: Distribution of Millet, Maize, Ragi and Nutritious Food
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Sanjay Seth, Pushpendra Singh Chandel

## GOVERNMENT OF IilDtA

## ililNtsTRy  oF coNsuMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD & PUBLTC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AI{D PUBLIC DTSTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4I8

## TO BE AI{SWERED ON 4n'FEBRUARY,2O2O

## DISTRIBUTION OF MtLLET, MAIZE, RAG| AND NUTRITTOUS  FOOD

## 4{8. SHRI SANJAY SETH:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA  SINGH CHANDEL:

Will the Minister of  GONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION  Santrdr rrrfr, ur<-+ st{ Trffif,6. F-fiur d'+ be pteased  to state:

- (a)  whether the Government has taken any decision to implement the
- vision of the Hon'ble Prime Minister that lndia will have to work on Millet Revolution  to ensure nutritious diet for good health and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether the Government has decided to distribute high protein nutritious foods like cottage cheese along with coarse graans like maize, ragi, etc. at fair price shops under Public Distribution  System  (PDS) and if so, the details thereof including their names and the quantum thereof;
- (c) whether the cases of millets and other commodities  not being given to the consumers from Government ration shops under PDS in full quantity have come to the notice of the Governmentl and
- (d) the time by which the distribution of the aforesaid nutritious foods is likely to be ensured in Bundelkhand?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD & PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION (sHRl DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

- (a) & (b): Government of lndia enacted J{ational Food Security Act (NFSA), 2O{3 on O5.O7.2O{3  to provide  subsidized foodgrains to the States/UTs. Schedute-t of the Act envisages distribution  of Millets (nutri'cereals  / coarse grain) at highly subsidized rate of R3. 0't per kg in addition to wheat and rice.

.........21-

Millets are already a  part of  Public Distribution  System. The procurement,  storage and distribution of Millets by States/UTs  is done under Decentralized  Procurement  (DCP) system. Under this, the States/UTs which intend to distribute millets under Public Distribution  System have to make an assessment of the quantityr  for procurement  and distribution of Millets under PDS and get their procurement  plan approyed in advance from Government  of lndia, so as to ensure that the procured quantity is distributed under PDS in that State only. Subsequently, the allocation of approved quantity  of millet for distribution under PDS as made by this Department, while ensuring  that the overall quantity of rice, wheat and millets has to be within the upper ceiling fixed in respect of each State/UT under NFSA. Responsibility  for distribution of  foodgrains within the $tate/UT rests with the concerned State/UT  Govt.

As per clause 9  of 9  TPDS (Control) Ordern 2O{5, the State Govemment shall allow sale of commodities other than the foodgrains distributed  unde; the Targeted Public Distribution  System  at the fair price shop to improve the viability of the f,air price shop operations. This Department  has no role to play in distribution other than rice, wheat and nutri-cereals  (coarse grains).

A Committee was also constituted  ln 2017 by the Prime Ministey's Office under the chairmanship  of Prof Ramesh Chand, Member,  NlTl Aayogt to  promote millets under PDS for greater nutritiona!  support. The Gommittee after broad deliberation submitted its report dated 23.4.2018 covering all the areas titled  (lmproving  nutration through promotion of millets under PDS".

The details of nutri-cereals  allocated by this Department during the last three years and the current year are at Annexure-l.

- (c): As PDS is operated under the  ioint  responsibility of the Gentral  and the State/ UT Governments,  as and when complaints are received by the Government,  they are sent to State/UT Governments concerned  for inquiry and appropriate action.
- (d): There is no  such proposal under consideration.  Howevert procurement of maize and its distribution under PDS is being done in the State of Uttar Pradesh since 20{8-{9.

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO lN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE UNSTARRED  OUESTIOI{ NO.418 FOR ANSWER  ON O4.O2.2O2O IN THE LOK SABHA.

## ALLOCATION OF NUTR!-C REALS UNDER TPDS/NFSA

| s. NO.   | STATE                                                 | COMDTY.   | ouANTrrY (!N TONS)   |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------|----------------------|
| 2016-17  | 2016-17                                               | 2016-17   | 2016-17              |
| 1        | KARANATATI(A                                          | RAG!      | 203769               |
|          |                                                       | JOWAR     | 7124.4               |
| 2        | HARYANA                                               | BAJRA     | 6341                 |
| 3        | Madhya Pradesh*                                       |           | 76337                |
|          | TOTAL                                                 |           | 293575.4             |
| 2017-14  | 2017-14                                               | 2017-14   | 2017-14              |
| 1.       | Haryana                                               | Bajra     | 20000                |
|          | TOTAL                                                 |           | 20000                |
| 201449   | 201449                                                | 201449    | 201449               |
| 1.       | Haryana (Non'i8 - Jant{9) Order issued on 5- Oct-2O18 | Bajra     | I,O0,OOO             |
|          |                                                       | Maize     | l5,0oo               |
|          |                                                       | Total     | l,{5,ooo             |
| 2.       | Uttar Pradesh ( Jan-March 2O19.)                      | Maize     | I,OO,OOO             |
| 2(J19-20 | 2(J19-20                                              | 2(J19-20  | 2(J19-20             |
| 1.       | Guiarat                                               | Baira     | 491.240              |
| 2.       | Haryana                                               | Baira     | I,OO,OOO             |
|          | TOTAL                                                 |           | 1,OO,891.24          |