Lok Sabha Question No. 74 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-02
Subject: Allocation of Rice to Assam
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

## GOVERNMEilT OF INDIA

## MI]'ISTRY  OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPAR:TMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 74 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 2"d February'2o2l

## ALLOCATION  OF RICE TO ASSAM

## 174.  SHRI NABA KUMARSARANIA:

Wilt the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS' FOOD AND PUBLIC DtsTRtBuTtoN 5Csfrfir xrri, ur<.rr dk  grffir fuilur d!ft be pleased to state:

- (a)thequantumofricetobeallocatedbytheGovernmenttoAssamper year along with the number of people among whom it is dlstributed;
- (b) whether the pubtic distribution of rice to the workers of tea plantationshasbeenstoppedintheBodolandTerr.torialcounc ir (BTG) areas;
- (c)  whether the shop owners of Fair Price thops are facing many probtems due to the non-payment of Gommission to them for many yeanr;
- (d) if so, the detaals  thereofl  and
- (e)  the totat number of workers of tea plantations in Assam to whom the rice are provided with the rates per kilogram at  which it  is distributed?

MINISTERoFSTATEFoRMINISTRYoFGoNSUMERAFFAIRS,FooD&

ANSWER PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(sHRr DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a): A monthly  quantity  ot 135277'245 MT Rice and 578{'67 MT Wheat permonthisbeingallocatedtoStateGovtofAssamfordistributiontoa total of 2503O742  beneficiaries  under NFSA'

...,.....2t-

(b) to (d): NFSA is operated  under the  ioint  responsibility of the Gentral and the State/UT Govt. Gentral Govt is responsible  for allocation and transportation of foodgrains  upto the designated depots of the FCl. The operational  responsibilities  for  allocation of  foodgrains within the States/UTs,  identification of eligible beneficiaries, issuance of ration cards to them, distribution of foodgraans to eligible beneficiaries  rest with the concerned S'tate/UT Govt.

Under the ioint  responsibility  of  the Gentral and State/Union Territory  (UT) Governmentsr the responsibility for payment  of commission to fair price shop dealers rests with the concerned State Government.  As per Rule 7 of the Food Security (Assistance to State Governments)  Rulest 2O{5 notilied by the Central  Government under the National Food Security Act, 2O{3 the State Government  shall ensure the payment of fair price shop dealerc' margin in advance by way of adiusting the same in prices of foodgrains  to  be paid by faar price shop dealers, or through other appropriate  mechanism. lf the price of foodgrains payable by fair price shop dealers in any State or Union territory is lower than the fair price shop dealerst margin, the State Government shall ensure upfront  payment of margin, in full, to fair price shop dealerc.

However, as per provisions of the Section 22(41(.tl of the NFSA' central assistance is provided to all the states/UTs for partly meeting the expenditure towards intra.state movement & handling of foodgraans and fair price shop dealerct margin as per provisions of  Food Security (Assistance to State Government) Rulesr 2O{5.

(e): Responsibitity of identification  of eligible  beneficiaries under NFSA rests with state Govt. All the beneficiaries under NFSA are entitled to receive foodgrains @ Rs 1t2t3 per kg  for  nutri-cereals/wheaurice respectively.