Lok Sabha Question No. 3811 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-16
Subject: Corruption and Leakage in PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Krupal Balaji Tumane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3811

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  JULY, 2019

## CORRUPTION AND LEAKAGE IN PDS

## †3811. SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION उपभोक्ता त मल , ाखतद्ा औा तावर्ज�ाका्औता  मं be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the  Government  has  received  any  information  regarding  any loss due to corruption and leakage in the Public Distribution System (PDS) during the last three years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has formulated any action plan to strengthen and  streamline  PDS  to  stop  leakage,  theft,  etc.  if  so,  the  details  thereof along with the present status and success achieved in this regard, State/UTwise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  link  PDS  with  AADHAAR,  if  so, the details and  the objectives thereof along  with the likely benefits therefrom; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to provide the facility of PDS to all the people, if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the States thereto?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI   DANVE  RAOSAHEB   DADARAO)

(a) to (d): Public Distribution System (PDS) is operated under the joint responsibility  of  the  Central  and  State/UT  Governments.  Central  Govt.  is responsible  for  procurement,  allocation  and  transportation  of  foodgrains upto the designated depots of the FCI. The operational responsibilities for allocation and distribution of foodgrains within the States/UTs, identification of  eligible  beneficiaries/families,  issuance  of  ration  cards  to  them  and supervision  and  monitoring  of  functioning  of  Fair  Price  Shops  (FPSs)  rest with the concerned State/UT Government. Instructions have been issued to State/UTs  and  Food  Corporation  of  India  (FCI)  to  ensure  supply  of  good quality  foodgrains  under  PDS.  Therefore,  as  and  when  complaints  are received by the Government from individuals and organizations as well as through press reports, they are sent to State/UT Governments concerned for inquiry and appropriate action. A statement indicating State-wise number of complaints  on  TPDS  received  in  the  department  from  2016  to  2018  is  at Annexure.

.........2/-

An  offence  committed  in  violation  of  the  provisions  of  TPDS  (C) Order,  2015  is  liable  for  penal  action  under  the  Essential  Commodities Act,  1955.  Thus,  the  Order  empower  State/UT  Governments  to  take punitive  action  in  case  of  contravention  of  relevant  provisions  of  these Orders.

Streamlining and upgradation of Targeted Public Distribution System  [TPDS]  is  a  continuous  process.  Department  of  Food  &  Public Distribution  is implementing a Scheme on 'End-to-End Computerisation of TPDS Operations' on cost sharing basis with the States/UTs. The Scheme consists of activities namely, digitization of ration cards/beneficiary and other  databases,  computerisation  of  supply-chain  management,  setting up  of  transparency  portals  and  grievance  redressal  mechanisms  and installation of ePoS devices at Fair Price Shops.

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 30/09/2019. 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.

The National Food Security Act (NFSA) covers 75% of population in the  rural  areas  and  50%  in  the  urban  areas  and  thereby  covering  2/3rd population in the entire country.

***

ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.3811  DUE  FOR  ANSWERED  ON  16.07.2019  IN  THE  LOK SABHA.

## STATEMENT:   COMPLAINTS ON TPDS RECEIVED  IN THE DEPARTMENT FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANISATIONS & THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS ETC FROM 2016 TO 2018

| S. No.   | State/UT          | 2016   | 2017   | 2018   |
|----------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 5      | 10     | 6      |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | -      | -      | 1      |
| 3        | Assam             | 32     | 17     | 7      |
| 4        | Bihar             | 81     | 169    | 135    |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 9      | 9      | 9      |
| 6        | Delhi             | 91     | 98     | 76     |
| 7        | Goa               | 1      | 2      | -      |
| 8        | Gujarat           | 12     | 9      | 8      |
| 9        | Haryana           | 34     | 47     | 35     |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh  | 5      | 6      | 1      |
| 11       | J&K               | 3      | 4      | 5      |
| 12       | Jharkhand         | 29     | 35     | 33     |
| 13       | Karnataka         | 22     | 28     | 15     |
| 14       | Kerala            | 22     | 13     | 11     |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh    | 24     | 21     | 24     |
| 16       | Maharashtra       | 62     | 77     | 34     |
| 17       | Manipur           | 4      | 2      | 2      |
| 18       | Meghalaya         | 9      | -      | -      |
| 19       | Mizoram           | -      | 2      | -      |
| 20       | Nagaland          | 2      | 2      | -      |
| 21       | Orissa            | 43     | 22     | 16     |
| 22       | Punjab            | 7      | 5      | 22     |
| 23       | Rajasthan         | 59     | 82     | 38     |
| 24       | Sikkim            | -      | -      | -      |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu        | 33     | 31     | 27     |
| 26       | Telangana         | 1      | 4      | 3      |
| 27       | Tripura           | 1      | 1      | -      |
| 28       | Uttarakhand       | 21     | 22     | 15     |
| 29       | Uttar Pradesh     | 461    | 445    | 369    |
| 30       | West Bengal       | 29     | 49     | 43     |
| 31       | A&N Island        | 1      | -      | 1      |
| 32       | Chandigarh        | 2      | -      | 2      |
| 33       | D& N Haveli       | 1      | -      | -      |
| 34       | Daman & Diu       | -      | -      | -      |
| 35       | Lakshadweep       | -      | -      | 1      |
| 36       | Puducherry        | -      | 1      | 2      |
| TOTAL    |                   | 1106   | 1213   | 941    |