Lok Sabha Question No. 939 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-24
Subject: Aadhaar based Biometric Authentication in PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, P.R. SUNDARAM, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 939

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 TH  JULY, 2018

## AADHAAR BASED BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION IN PDS

## 939.  DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

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  many  workers  were  reportedly  denied  rations  from  the Public  Distribution  System  (PDS)  shops  for  failing  to  have  Aadhaar  based biometric authentication and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the people who have been denied ration are mostly elderly persons who could not procure food after the Aadhaar enabled point of sales machine  could  not  authenticate  their  biometrics,  if  so,  the  details  thereof and the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) the  number  of  point  of  sale  equipment  in  Fair  Price  Shops  for  the identification of beneficiaries under the scheme of automation of Fair Price Shops that has been set up in the country during the last three years, Statewise; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to provide incentives to the States that  achieve  cent  per  cent  implementation  of  the  scheme  and  if  so,  the details thereof, State-wise along with the steps taken by the Government to achieve cent per cent coverage of the scheme?

## A N S W E R

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

- (a)  to  (b):    The  Notification  No.  S.O.  371(E)  dated  08.02.2017 issued by the Department  of  Food  &  Public  Distribution  (DFPD)  under  Aadhaar  (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016

(Aadhaar  Act), inter  alia  provides  that  the  individual  beneficiaries  having Ration Cards under NFSA to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or  undergo  Aadhaar  authentication  to  receive  subsidies  under  NFSA  and those  who  do  not  possess  Aadhaar,  to  make  application  for  Aadhaar enrolment.  The notification further provides that till the Aadhaar is assigned to  the  beneficiaries  of  subsidies  under  NFSA,  the  entitlements  under  NFSA shall  be  given  to  such  individuals  on  production  of  Ration  Card,  Aadhaar Enrolment ID slip or copy of his/her request made to State Government for Aadhaar enrolment alongwith copy of any of the 8 documents viz. Voter ID, PAN  Card,  Passport,  Driving  License,  Certificate  of  identity  having  photo issued by Gazetted Officer or Tehsildar, Address Card having name and Photo issued by Department of Post or Kisan Photo Passbook.

The Notification also provides that any member of the eligible household will  be  entitled  to  receive  entire  quantity  of  subsidized  foodgrains  or  cash transfer  of  food  subsidy  under  NFSA  on  behalf  of  the  households  if  he/she fulfills the aforementioned identification requirement, irrespective of whether all members of the household have had Aadhaar number assigned to them.

The State Governments/UT Admns. have been requested time and again for strict compliance with the above guidelines.

(c) & (d): At present, 3.33 lakh out of 5.27 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) across the country have ePoS devices. As regards financial assistance, Government has approved FPS dealers' margins @ Rs. 87/quintal to State/UT Governments under  NFSA,  which  also  includes  reimbursement  of  Rs.  17/quintal  for  their expenditure towards purchase and operations of ePoS devices at FPSs. Such expenditure is shared between Centre and State/UT Governments on 75:25 basis  for  Special  Category  States/UTs  and  on  50:50  basis  for  General Category States/UTs.

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