Lok Sabha Question No. 2927 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-03
Subject: Distribution of Pulses through PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Pratima Mondal

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2927

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2022

## DISTRIBUTION OF PULSES THROUGH PDS

## 2927.  SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of spiralling prices of edible oil and pulses in open market;
- (b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to check such profiteering in the absence of price restriction on essential commodities;
- (c) whether the Government plans to reintroduce edible oil and pulses control order; and
- (d) if so, the timeline fixed in this regard; and
- (e) the reasons for not distributing edible oil and pulses through PDS by the Government?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h (श्री अश्विनी क ु मार चौबे)

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (d) : The Department of Consumer Affairs monitors the daily retail and wholesale prices of 22 essential food commodities submitted by the 184 price monitoring centres that have been set up with Central assistance by State  Governments  and  UT  Administrations  across  the  country.  Taking  into  account  price  trends,  the Government takes various measures from time to time to augment domestic availability and stabilize prices of essential  food  commodities  and  make  them  accessible  to  all  the  consumers  across  India  at  affordable  prices. These  steps, inter  alia ,  include  releases  from  the  buffer  to  cool  down  prices,  imposition  of  stock  limits, monitoring  of  stocks  declared  by  entities  to  prevent  hoarding  and  also  requisite  changes  in  trade  policy instruments like rationalization of import duty, changes in import quota, restrictions on exports of the commodity etc.

Strategic buffer stocks of pulses and onion are maintained to stabilise prices by discouraging hoarding and unscrupulous speculation. Pulses from the buffer are released in the market for cooling down prices and also supplied on ongoing basis to the States/UTs for distribution under welfare and nutrition schemes. Onions  from the buffer are released in a targeted and calibrated manner during the lean season (Aug - Dec) to contain price rise. At present there is no proposal to reintroduction pulses control order. In respect of edible oils and oilseeds, the Government has imposed stock limits on Edible Oils and Oilseeds for a period up to 31st December 2022.

(e) :  Under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), the Government makes allocation of foodgrains (wheat and rice) as per the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, that is,5kg of foodgrains per person per month to priority households, and 35 Kg of foodgrains per household per month in case of household covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY). The State Government may continue with or formulate food or nutrition based plans or schemes providing for benefits higher than the benefits provided under this act. Pulses from the Price  Stabilisation  Buffer  and  Price  Support  Scheme  are  made  available  to  States/UTs  for  distribution  under various welfare schemes including Public Distribution System (PDS) by them as per their requirement.

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