Lok Sabha Question No. 588 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: Reach of Public Distribution System
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 588

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 th  JUNE, 2019

## REACH OF PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

## 588. SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

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  benefits  of  Public  Distribution  System  (PDS)  are reaching to the people sufficiently;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof,  especially  in  Gujarat,  during  the  last three years;
- (c) the number of people who have been benefited in Gujarat under PDS in BPL category during each of the last three years; and
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government  to improve the efficiency of PDS in various parts of the country?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)

- (a) to (c): Public Distribution System (PDS) is being implemented under the provisions of National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 in all States/UTs. The Act provides for coverage of up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population for receiving foodgrains (rice, wheat & coarse grains) at highly subsidized rates i.e. Rs. 3/2/1 per kg respectively. Under the Act, eligible families are categorized into Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families  and  Priority  Households  (PHH).  About  80  Crore  persons  are presently covered to receive subsidized foodgrains through PDS across the country.

The total foodgrain allocation to State of Gujarat for the year 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 (upto May, 2019) are 21.79 LMT, 23.67 LMT, 23.79 LMT and 3.96 LMT respectively.

In  Gujarat,  about  3.82  crore  persons  are  covered  under  NFSA. Nearly 66.26 lakh NFSA ration cards are active in Gujarat during 2019-20. This includes 8.08 lakh AAY ration cards and 58.18 lakh PHH ration cards. BPL category does not exist under NFSA.

(d): To  improve  the  efficiency  and  introduce  transparency  in  Public Distribution  System  (PDS)  operations,  Government  is  implementing  a scheme  on  'End-to-End  Computerization  of  PDS  Operations'.  Under  the scheme,  digitization  of  ration  cards/beneficiaries  database,  setting  up  of transparency  portals  and  grievance  redressal  mechanisms  have  been completed in all States/UTs. Online allocation has been implemented in all States/UTs  and  computerization  of  supply  chain  management  has  been completed in 26 States/UTs.  Automation of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) by use of  electronic  point  of  sale  (ePoS)  devices  is  also  being  done  in  all States/UTs. So far, about 4.12 lakh FPSs out of 5.34 lakh FPSs across the country (including all FPSs of Gujarat) have operational ePoS devices.

Besides, a new central sector scheme 'Integrated Management of PDS' (IM-PDS) is being implemented for establishing Public Distribution System Network (PDSN) to implement national level portability of ration cards/beneficiaries,  national  level  de-duplication,  Central  Data  Repository and Central Monitoring of PDS Operations.

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