Lok Sabha Question No. 1348 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Ration Distribution in Telangana
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Uttam Kumar Nalamada Reddy

## GOVERilMEiIT  OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  oF coNsuMER AFFAIRS,  FooD & PUBLtc DrsrRIBUTroN DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION ilO.{348 TO BE ANSWERED  Oil  gTHFEBRUARY,2022

## RATION DISTRTBUTIOil  IN TELAI{GAilA

## {348. SHRI UTTAM KUMAR REDDY NALAMADA:

will  the Minister of  Got{suMER  AFFATRS, FooD AND  puBlrc DlsrRtBUTIOil  sqfrttrr arrd, ure sitr urffidq, fffrur d* be pteased  to state: state:

- (a)  the total number of BpL famiries  being suppried ration by the Union Government in Telanganal
- (b)  the tota! quantity  of ration being supptied Telanganal by the Government in
- (c)  the month-wise  quantity  of various ration items supptied to ration card holders in Telangana from {st March 2o2o to {st January 2022;
- (d)  whether  the Government is aware that rice being suppried to BpL families in Telangana is of very poor quatity and if so, the details thereof;
- (e)  the measures being taken by the Government  to improve the quarity of rice being suppried  to BpL famiries  in Terangana under the food distribution  schemel  and
- (0 the other items of ration other than rice being suppried to BpL families under the food distribution scheme in Telangana?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE GONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTR!BUTION

(sHRt ASHWIN! KUMAR GHOUBEY)

(a): As per the pnovisions of the Nationat Food security Act, 2o13 (NFSA), the Department  al[ocates foodgrains  to att states/urs  for distribution to the identified ration card holders by them (inclurting Telangana)  under the Antyodaya  Anna Yoiana (AAy) and  priority  Househotd  (pHH) categories  of the Act only. The NFSA is operational In a uniform manner in att states/urs, and there is no Bellow Poverty Line (BpL) category under the Act. No.

(b):  During the year 2021-22, the Department had allocated a total of about {2.96 LMT foodgrains rrnder regular NFSA to the State Goyemment  of Tetangana. Besides, the Department  had also allocated a total of about 1O.54 LMT additional foodgrains to ther State for additional  ,,fr.pe ,.9f cost distribution to the NFSA beneflctaries  under the Pradhan Mantfi Garib Kalyan Anna Yolana (Pi[.GKAy) during  the year 2021-22.

(c): A month.wis,e  statement showing the quantity of foodgrains (Rice)  allocated to the State of Telangana under the regular  NFSA and PM-GKAY  from March 202O to January 2022 is at Annexure.

(d)  to (f): Under NFSA, the Department allocates  foodgrains (Rice)  to the Govemment of Telangana  for distribution to the beneficiarles  covered under the Act through AAY and PHH category ration cards only. However, the Targeted Public Distributlon System  (TPDS) Gontro! Order,20{5 under the Act, enables the States/UTs to also allow the sale/distribution of other Essential Commodities and food items from their Falr Price Shops (FPSs)  apart from NFSA foodgrains.

Further, under NFSA, there is a set procedure/mechanism  to :ssue foodgrains under the Public Distribution System (PDS). Surpfise checks are also conducted  at Food Storage Depots/Fair Price Shops, to ensure the quality of foodgrains (wheat and rice), distrib[ted  to PDS beneficiaries. Moreover, Government has issued following instructions to State Govemmenuunion  Territories  (UTs) and Food Gorporation of Indlia (FCl)  to ensure  the supply of good quality foodgrains under PDS:

(D Only good qual:ty foodgrains free from insect infestatlon and confoming  to Food Safety  Standards are to be issuod under TPDS and other welfare schernes.

(ii) Ample opportunities  are to be provlded  to  the State GovemmenuuT Administration to $nspect the stocks prior to llftlng from FGI godowns. States/UTs may ensure that officers not below the rank of lnspector are deputed for inspection  of the foodgrains  before thelr llftlng from FGI godowns.

(iii) Samples  of foodgralns  ,are  to be collected  and sealed from the stocks of foodgrains  to be issued under the TPDS  Jolntly  by FCI and StatG GoyernmenuuT Administration

(iv) An officer not below the rank of tnspector  is to be deputed from State Govemment  to take the delivery  of foodgralns stocks from FCI godowns,

(v) Regular inspection to check the quality of foodgralns ls to be carried out by the officerc of State Govemment.

(vl) lt ls the responslbility  of the concemed $tate GovemmenuuT  Administration to ensure that during transportation  and storage at dlfferent stages ln the dislribution  chain, the foodgrains  retain the required quality specifications.

(vii) The State Government,  where the decentralized  procurement  is in operation, should ensure that the quality of foodgrains issued under TPDS and othGr welfare schemes should meet the deslred standards under the Food 9afety and Standards Authority  of India (FSSAI).

## ANNEXURE REFERRED  To IN REPLY  To PART (c) oF THE UNSTARRED QUESION NO.{348 FOR ANSVYR  ON O9.O2.2O22  tN THE LOK SABHA

## showin the uan of R' all ted Month-wise to the Sta of f'elangana under reqular NFSA and PM.GKAY MM rch 2O2O lo Januaw 220222

| Month & Year   | Allocation of Foodgrains (Rice) under NFSA (in MTs)   | Allocation of Foodgrains (Rice) under PM-GKAy (in MTs   |
|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| March 2O20     | {,og,oo4                                              |                                                         |
| 2020           | 1 o04 ,                                               | 95 810.95                                               |
| May 2O2O       | 1 o8,oo4                                              | 95,8{0.95                                               |
| June 2O2O      | I,Ogro04                                              | 10.95                                                   |
| Jul 2020       | 1 o8 o04                                              | 95,81O.95                                               |
| August 202O    | 1 8,004                                               | 95,81O.95                                               |
| September 2O2O | 1 08,o04                                              | 95 ,81o.95                                              |
| October 202O   | 1 o8 oo4                                              | 95 8{O.95                                               |
| l{ovember 2O2O | lrOgrO04                                              | 95,8{O.95                                               |
| December 202O  | {,08 004                                              | NA                                                      |
| Janu 2021      | {,09 o04                                              | NA                                                      |
| Februa 2021    | {rog,o04                                              | NA                                                      |
| March 2A21     | {,08 004                                              | NA                                                      |
| April 2O21     | 1 08 004                                              | NA                                                      |
| May 2O21       | 1 oE,o04,                                             | 95 8{O.95                                               |
| June 20.21     | I o8,004                                              | 95 ,81o.95                                              |
| July 2021      | {r08ro04                                              | 95 8{O.95                                               |
| August 2O2{    | {,o8,oo4                                              | 95,8{O.95                                               |
| September 2O21 | {,08 o04                                              | 95 8{O.95                                               |
| October 2021   | {rogroo4                                              | 95,8r0.95                                               |
| November 2O2{  | {,09,o04                                              | 95,81O.95                                               |
| December 2O2{  | ,r08roo4                                              | 95,81O.95                                               |
| Janua 2022     | {,og o04                                              | o r0.95                                                 |

NA: Not Applicable,