Lok Sabha Question No. 1135 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-24
Subject: Features and Mechanism of Food Security Act
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: SONA RAM CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1135 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 TH  JULY, 2018

## FEATURES AND MECHANISM OF FOOD SECURITY ACT

## 1135. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the  features  of  National  Food  Security  Act  and  the  mechanism  in place for its implementation;
- (b) whether complaints have been received with regard to non-providing of the beneficiaries under the scheme and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any action has been taken against the guilty persons on the basis of complaints received;
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  concrete  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  effective implementation of the Act and to provide benefits to eligible persons?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a): Salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) are at Annexure -I. Foodgrains under the Act are distributed through the Targeted Public  Distribution  System  (TPDS),  which  is    operated  under  the  joint responsibility  of  the  Central  and  State/Union  Territory  (UT)  Governments. Central Government is responsible for procurement, allocation and transportation  of  foodgrains  upto  the  designated  depots  of  the  Food Corporation  of  India.  The  operational  responsibilities  for  allocation  of foodgrains  within  the  States/UTs,  identification  of  eligible  beneficiaries/ families,  issuance  of  ration  cards  to  them,  distribution  of  foodgrains  to eligible beneficiaries under TPDS  and  supervision and monitoring of functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs), etc rest with the concerned State/UT

Government.

(b)  to  (d):        There  have  been  complaints  about  irregularities  in  the functioning  of  TPDS  including  leakage/  diversion  of  foodgrains,  foodgrains not reaching  the intended  beneficiaries, issuance  of ration cards  to ineligible persons, etc in some States/regions in the country. Since TPDS is operated under joint responsibility of the Central and State/UT Governments,  as  and  when  complaints  are  received  by  the  Government from individuals and organizations as well as through press reports, these are  referred  to  the  State/UT  Governments  concerned,  for  inquiry  and appropriate  action.  A  State/UT-wise  statement  indicating  number  of  such complaints  received  during  the  last  three  years  and  current  year  is  at Annexure - II.

(e):      To  improve  transparency  and  better  targeting  of  benefits  under  the Act, the Government is implementing computerization of TPDS operations, which  covers  digitization  of  beneficiary  database,  online  allocation  of foodgrains, computerization of supply chain management, online grievance redressal  mechanism,  transparency  portals  and  use  of  electronic  point  of sale devices for authentication of beneficiaries and electronic capturing of transactions

****

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1135 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 24.07.2018 IN THE LOK SABHA

## SALIENT FEATURES OF THE NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT, 2013 (NFSA)

1. Coverage and entitlement under Targeted  Public Distribution  System  (TPDS): Coverage of upto 75%  of  the  rural  population  and  50%  of  the  urban  population  under  two  categories  -  Households covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority households. While AAY households, which constitute  poorest  of  the  poor  are  entitled  to  35  kg  of  foodgrains  per  family  per  month,  priority households are entitled to 5 kg per person per month.
2. State-wise coverage: Corresponding to the all India coverage of 75% and 50% in the rural and urban areas, State-wise coverage to be determined by the Central Government. The then Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) has determined the State-wise coverage by using the NSS Household Consumption Survey data for 2011-12.
3. Subsidized prices under TPDS and their revision : Foodgrains under TPDS to be made available at subsidized prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains for a period of three years from the date of commencement of the Act. Thereafter prices to be as fixed by the Central Government from time  to  time,  not  exceeding  MSP.  It  has  been  decided  by  the  Government  to  continue  the  above mentioned subsidized prices upto June, 2019.
4. In case, any State's allocation under the Act is lower than their current allocation, it will be protected upto the level of average offtake under erstwhile normal TPDS during 2010-11 to 2012-13, at prices to be determined by the Central Government. Prices for APL households under erstwhile TPDS i.e. Rs. 6.10 per kg for wheat and Rs 8.30 per kg for rice has been determined as issue prices for the additional allocation to protect the average offtake during last three years.
5. Identification of Households: Within the coverage under TPDS determined for each State, the work of identification of eligible households is to be done by States/UTs.
6. Nutritional Support to women and children: Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children in the  age  group  of  6  months  to  14  years  entitled  to  meals  as  per  prescribed  nutritional  norms  under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) schemes. Higher nutritional norms prescribed for malnourished children upto 6 years of age.
7. Maternity Benefit : Pregnant women and lactating mothers entitled to receive maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000.
8. Women Empowerment: Eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of ration cards.
9. Grievance Redressal Mechanism: Grievance redressal mechanism at the District and State levels.
10. Cost  of  intra-State  transportation  &  handling  of  foodgrains  and  FPS  Dealers'  margin: Central Government  to  provide  assistance to States in meeting  the expenditure incurred  by  them  on transportation of foodgrains within the State, its handling and FPS dealers' margin as per norms to be devised for this purpose.
11. Transparency and Accountability: Provisions for disclosure of records relating to PDS, social audits and setting up of Vigilance Committees in order to ensure transparency and accountability.
12. Food  Security  Allowance: Provision  for  food  security  allowance  to  entitled  beneficiaries  in  case  of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals.
13. Penalty: Provision  for  penalty  on  public  servant  or  authority,  to  be  imposed  by  the  State  Food Commission,  in  case  of  failure  to  comply  with  the  relief  recommended  by  the  District  Grievance Redressal Officer.

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (b)  TO  (d)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1137 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 24.07.2018 IN THE LOK SABHA

## Complaints on TPDS received in the Department from Individuals, Organizations & through media reports etc from 2015 to 2017

| S. No.   | State/UT          | 2015   | 2016   | 2017   |
|----------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 8      | 5      | 10     |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 1      | -      | -      |
| 3        | Assam             | 34     | 32     | 17     |
| 4        | Bihar             | 106    | 81     | 169    |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 6      | 9      | 9      |
| 6        | Delhi             | 113    | 91     | 98     |
| 7        | Goa               | -      | 1      | 2      |
| 8        | Gujarat           | 8      | 12     | 9      |
| 9        | Haryana           | 35     | 34     | 47     |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh  | 4      | 5      | 6      |
| 11       | J&K               | 5      | 3      | 4      |
| 12       | Jharkhand         | 32     | 29     | 35     |
| 13       | Karnataka         | 16     | 22     | 28     |
| 14       | Kerala            | 16     | 22     | 13     |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh    | 17     | 24     | 21     |
| 16       | Maharashtra       | 48     | 62     | 77     |
| 17       | Manipur           | 6      | 4      | 2      |
| 18       | Meghalaya         | 7      | 9      | -      |
| 19       | Mizoram           | -      | -      | 2      |
| 20       | Nagaland          | -      | 2      | 2      |
| 21       | Orissa            | 22     | 43     | 22     |
| 22       | Punjab            | 10     | 7      | 5      |
| 23       | Rajasthan         | 33     | 59     | 82     |
| 24       | Sikkim            | -      | -      | -      |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu        | 22     | 33     | 31     |
| 26       | Telangana         | 10     | 1      | 4      |
| 27       | Tripura           | -      | 1      | 1      |
| 28       | Uttarakhand       | 24     | 21     | 22     |
| 29       | Uttar Pradesh     | 197    | 461    | 445    |
| 30       | West Bengal       | 32     | 29     | 49     |
| 31       | A&N Island        | -      | 1      | -      |
| 32       | Chandigarh        | 6      | 2      | -      |
| 33       | D& N Haveli       | -      | 1      | -      |
| 34       | Puducherry        | -      | -      | 1      |
| TOTAL    | TOTAL             | 818    | 1106   | 1213   |

****