Lok Sabha Question No. 1345 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Food Grain for Poor
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Achyutananda Samanta

## GOVERI{ITIENT  OF INDTA

## iltillsTRy  oF CONSUilER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  i  pu"r.rc  DtsTRtBUTtol{ DEPARTMENT  OF FOOD  AI{D PUBLIC DTSTRIBUTION

## LOX SABHA UNSTARRED  OUESTION NO. 1345 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 27rHJULY,2O2{

## FOOD GRAIil FOR POOR

## {345. SHRIACHYUTAI{A]{DASAMANTA:

Wi[ the Minister  of  GONSUMER  AFFA|RS,  FOOD  A]tD  pUBLtC DtsTRrBUTtOil  ilrt€r enr*, ur<.a gih  Erffi6 ff"*, t'+ *-r,""r"o  a state:

- (a)  whether  the Government  has artocated  Tgrooo tonnes  of rice from Food Gorpora*on  of rndia (FGt)  stocks  tor private  distireries  ior ethanot blending  at subsidised  rates,  if so, the ,"=on.  thereof;
- (b)  whether the aforesaid subsidised  rate ts rower than the rute at which rice is availabte  to State governments  for purchasing,  if so, the detaits thereofl and
- (c)  the steps being taken by the Government  to ensure  that poorest sections of society receive  sufficient food g^ins,  considering  that rndia ranks 94th out of 1r7 countries as per the G'iobar Hunger  tndex 2020, and the serious possibilaty  that this wrr be fur*rer exacerbated  due to GovrD{9, if so, the detaits thereof,  if not, the reasons  therefop

## ANSWER MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENTAND GoNSUMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD &  puBl.tc  DrsTRrBUTtolt (sADHVt NTRANJAN  JYOTT)

(a)&(b): rndia lmports about  g570  0f its crude oit requirement.  Domestic bio'fuers  like ethanor  reduce  the nationrs  depenaence  on imported fossar fuels;  in addition,  its use reduces  vehicurar  porution,  increases  farmers, incomer  brings  new anvestment  opportunity  in rurar areas thereby herping  to achieve goal of Atmanirbhar  Bharat.

Ethanor is being produced  mainry from morasses/sugarcane  and damaged  food'grarns;  but avairabrtv "iii"." feed stocks as wett as ;l*;iff:["J:H-"ffcitv is ""t ""m"i"ni to achreve  arenii,,g-ta,set

Therefore,  with a view to increase production  of fuel grade ethanor  for brending  with petrot,  Governmerrt  is encouragrng  distireries  to produce  ethanor  from maize and arso surptus rice avaitabte  with Fcr. Government  is providing  FGr rice to distirt,eries producing  ethanot  at a subsidized  rate of Rs. 2000/ qtt which is the same rate at which rice is avairabre under open Market  sare scheme (Domestic)  to  state Governments.

For the period  of Decembey'2o2o-Novembef2O2lr  7gg44 MT ol FGr rice has been attocated  to distirerres  for production  of ethanot out of which 2366O MT has been tifted by distitteries  tifl  2O.7.2021.  The competitiveness  of the feed stock  wi, determine  the preferentia!  use of various  feed stocks and at present  use of rice from  Fct rs the smarest segment of feed stock and is expected to contribute 3.2g crore litre in totar suppry  of contracted  quantity  or 342.70 crore litre of ethanot in ethanot supply year (Dec,  2O2O to tfov. 2O2i) 2O2O-21.

- (c): with a vrew to ensure  that poorest  sections  of the society receive  sufricient  food grains,  Government  is providing  subsidized  food grains  i.e rice/wheat/  coarse grains  @ Rs.3l2l1per  kg respectively  to about 79'51 crore pensons  across  the country under Nationar Food seJurity  Act, 20{3 (I{FSA).  rn addition  to the "ni:tt"-"nt under the .{FSA, these beneficiaries  are arso  entired to receive  5 kg of food grarns  (rice/  wheat) per person per  month,  t:: "t cost from may io ltovember,  2O2l under the Pradhan  Mantri Garib Katayan  Anna yoiaia  (pMGKAy)  to mitigate the lmpact of the Govid pandemic.