Lok Sabha Question No. 5013 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-23
Subject: Point of Sale Machines
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINTSTRY OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD &  pUBLtc  DISTR|BUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED OUESTION NO. 5O{3 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 23.,, JULY, 2Ol9

## POINT OF SALE MACHINES

## 5O{3. SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLTC DISTRIBUTIoN  cctTt{il arr*, ur6r sit{ Trfqfuf, fufrwr d'* be pleased to state:

- (a)  the number of ration shops using Point of Sate (PoS) machines having stable, 24x7 anlemet connectivity,  State/UT-w:se;
- (b) whether the Government has taken steps to increase the overall storage capacities of foodgrains in the country keeping in view the need to procure and store more foodgrains in coming years and if so, the details thereof and the total volume of foodgrains in Govemmentts storage,  till date, along with the details of the capacitlr  increase made in the last five yearsl and
- (c) the details  of quantum of foodgrains that rotted or were lost from
- the Governmentts  storage mechanism over the last three years, yearwise?

## ANSWER

## M|NISTER  OF STATE FOR M!|ISTRY OF COilSUMER AFFA|RS, FOOD &

PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION (SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a): Under Public Distribution  System (PDS) reforms, more than 4.12 Lakh FPSs (77%) out of total 5.34 Lakh FPSs have been automated across the country by installing  electronic Point of Sale (ePoS)  devices. Presently, nearly {O Gr. ePoS transaction out of 23 Cr. ration cards, are being done through after biometric/authentication of beneficiaries on ePoS devices in online mode.

Under PDS, the responsibility of distributing the foodgrains to beneficiaries lies with the State/UT Governments. Further, Department has issued clear  instructions  to States/UTs that  no  genuine beneficiary/household  should be denied of entitled quantity of foodgrains due to unavailability of intemet connectivity  or any other technical failure and other reasons.

...2h

l{o information regarding number of ePoS machines having stable, 24x7 intemet connectivity is maintained  in the Department.

- (b): Against total stocks ol 742.52 LMT (as on O{.O7.2O19), the totat storage capacity available  with Food Corporation of lndia (FGt), Gentra! Warehousing Gorporation  (GWG) and the State Agencies (both owned and hired capacity), was 878.55 LMT (as on 3O.O6.2O19)  comprising 745.O0 LMT in covered godowns and {33.55 LMT in Gover and Plinth (GAP) storage. As such, there is sufficaent capacity for storage  of Genttal Pool foodgrains at the national leve!.

However, depending on requirement in specific areas and for modernization of the storage facilities, the Government implements the following schemes for construction of godowns and silos for storage of Gentral Pool Stocks in the country:

- i. Pravate Entrepreneuns  Guarantee  (PEG)  Scheme: Under this Scheme, a capacaty ot 24.13 LMT has been created during the last 5 years i.e. 2014-15 to 2O18.'19.
- ii. Gentral Sector Scheme (erctwhile  Plan Scheme): Under this Scheme, a capacaty of {.94  LMT has been created during the last 5 years i.e. 201+15 to 2Ol8-'19.
- iii. Gonstruction  of Steel Silos: Under this Scheme,  a capacity of 6.75 LMT has been created during the Iast 5 years i.e.2014-15 to 2O'18-19.
4. (c):  The foodgrains available with FGI is stored and preserved  properly. Food grains are perishable commodity and FCI is storing/handling  large quantities  of foodgrains over long periods. Out of these Stocksr some quantities become Non-issuable/rotten  due to various reasons like:
5. Transit damages viz enroute damage in  wagon/truck  due to contamination, wagon roof teakage etc.
- ll. Due to Naturat Calamities like Gyclone/flood damages.
7. !t t. ln some cases due to negligence of officials/ officerc, for which suitable disciplinary action agaanst defaulters,  where ever found guilty, are invariably taken.

Statement showing quantum of foodgrains  got damaged an FCI during the last 3 year and current year is at Annexure.

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5O13 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 23.07.2019 II{ THE LOK SABHA.

## Foodgrains  stock accrued  as Non-lssuable (damaged) in FCI from 2016,-17  to 2Ol9-20 (as on 30.06.{9)

F in tonnes

| S.No.         | Region            | 2016-17   | 201744   | 2018-{ 9   | 2019-20 (3o.06.{e)   |
|---------------|-------------------|-----------|----------|------------|----------------------|
| 1             | Bihar             | o         | 1617     | 356E       | o                    |
| 2             | Jharkhand         | o         | 45       | 31         | o                    |
| 3             | Odisha            | 1         | o        | 2          | 43                   |
| 4             | West Bengal       | o         | o        | 12         | o                    |
| 5             | Assam             | 205       | 324      | 868        | o                    |
| 6             | NEF               | 105       | 92       | 58         | 19                   |
| 7             | Arunachal Pradesh | 0         | o        | 0          | o                    |
| 8             | Nagaland          | 3         | o        | o          | o                    |
| 9             | Manipur           | o         | o        | o          | o                    |
| 10            | Delhi             | 12        | 14       | 2          | o                    |
| 11            | Haryana           | 0         | o        | o          | o                    |
| 12            | Himachal Pradesh  | 0         | o        | o          | 0                    |
| l3            | J&K               | 0         | 0        | o          | 0                    |
| 14            | Punjab            | I         | 211      | 3{8        | 27                   |
| 15            | Raiasthan         | 125       | 1        | 0          | o                    |
| {6            | Uttar Pradesh     | 4A        | 243      | 116        | 9                    |
| 17            | Uttarakhand       | o         | 0        | 0          | o                    |
| l8            | Andhra Pradesh    | 6         | o        | 0          | o                    |
| l9            | Kerala            | 88        | 2        | 113        | 0                    |
| 20            | Karnataka         | 13        | 75       | 53         | o                    |
| 21            | Tamil Nadu        | 66        | t6       | 6          | o                    |
| 22            | Gujarat           | 119       | 6        | 19         | o                    |
| 23            | Maharashtra       | 7963      | {5       | 35         | 3                    |
| 24            | Madhya Pradesh    | 0         | o        | 5          | o                    |
| 25            | Chhattisgarh      | 12        | o        | 7          | 1                    |
| Country Total | Country Total     | a776      | 2663     | 5213       | 103                  |

(Figs. are rounded offl