Lok Sabha Question No. 2976 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-15
Subject: Objective of National Food Security Scheme
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Nihal Chand Chauhan

## GOVERI{MENT OF INDIA

## TIINISTRY  OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED OUESTION NO,2976 TO BE ANSWERED  ON I5'H DECEMBER,2O2l

## OBJECTIVE  OF NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY SGHEME

## t2976.  SHR! NIHA|L CHAND:

Wlll the  Minister of  GONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION  rc!trftr arri, ur<.r  gt{  Tr{qft6, Fflor ftft be pleased to state:

- (a) the maln fealures and objectives of the National  Food Securitlr Scheme;
- (b) tho dotalls of funds sanctioned,  allocatod  and utillsed  in Rajasthan  during the last three years under the sald schcmo;
- (c) the total number ot b.neficiarios  covcrcd  in Dausa dlstrict of Ralasthan during  the last three  years under the satd scheme;
- (d) whether lrregularities under the sald scheme have come to the notlce of the Govemment recently and if so, the dotalls theteof; and
- (e) the details of concrete steps takcn by the Govemment in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR f,IINISTRY  OF RURAL DEVELOPTENT  AND coNsutER aFFAlns, FooD & PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION (sADHVl 1{l RAI{JAN JYOTI}

(a): Tho Natlonal Food Security Act, 2Ol3 (ilFSA) provides for food and nutritiona! security in human life cycle approach,  by ensuing  access to adequate  quantlty of quallty food at affordable  prices  to people to live a llfe with dignity. It marks  a paradlgm  shift in the approach to food securlty  from welfare to rlghts based approach. Ths Act provldes for coverage  upto 75% of rural populatlon and upto 5Oo/o ol urban populatlon  for recelvlng highly subsldized foodgralns  under Targetcd  Public Dlstrtbutlon  System (TPDS)' thus covering about two.thlrds ol the tota!  populataon whlch at Gensus 20{l comes to 8{.35 crore. Households  covered under Antyodaya Anna Yoiana aro entitled  to receive 35 kg of foodgrains  per household per month at Rs. I /2/3 per kg for coarsegrains/ wheaU rlce respectlvely,  under the Act. The prioritlr housoholds  are entltled to recelve 5 kg of ioodgralns per perscn per month at the above  prices.

(b): Rajasthan is a Non-DGP States and receives funds directly from Food Gorporation of lndia (FGl). The Department of Food and Public Distribution does not releases funds to  the Statc Government of Raiasthan. The details of fund released by FGI to State Government  of Raiasthan on foodgrains issued under the I{FSA, Other Welfare Scheme (OWS) and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is as follows:

| Finanr:ial Year             | Fund released (ln Grore)   |
|-----------------------------|----------------------------|
| 20't9-20                    | 7074.53                    |
| 20i20-21                    | 1257A.25                   |
| 2021-22 (Till October,2O2{) | 7010.47                    |

Gentral Government also provides Central assistance to States/UTs under NFSA for meeting expenditure  on intra-State movement and handling  of foodgrains and fair price shop dealerct margin under the National  Food Security Act, 2O{3 (lncluding Pradhan  Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package) as per approved norms. The details of fund released to State Government of Rajasthan under this scheme during the last three years is as follows.

| Finan(;ial Year             | Fund released (ln Grore)   |
|-----------------------------|----------------------------|
| 20,19.20                    | 9s.86                      |
| 24t20-21                    | 374.O2                     |
| 20.21-22 (As on 3O.1{.2O2{) | 225.92                     |

(c): The National Food Security Act, 2O{3 (NFSA) is being implemented in all the States/ Union Territories  including Rajasthan covering about 79.53 crore beneficiaries  at an al! lndia level. The Act provides for coyerage of beneficiaries  upto the State level only and not at the district level. Goverage of beneficiaries in Raiasthan under the ilational Food Security Act is 446.62 Iakh. The coverage of beneficiaries in Rajasthan for the last three years is as follows:

| Year                | Coverage (ln lakh)   |
|---------------------|----------------------|
| Januaryr 2O{9       | 446.62               |
| Januaryr2O2O        | 446.62               |
| Januaryr2O2l        | 440.O1               |
| As on 3tll.l 1.2O2{ | 440.O1               |

......3/-

(d) & (e): The Targeted Pubtic Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the ioint  responsibility of  the Gental and the State/UT Governments, wherein the operational  responsibilities peilain  with the State/UT. Hence, as and when complaints for NFSA or any State/UT are receaved  in the Depattment from individuats, organlzations, through media reports etc. regarding any irregularities in the functioning of the NFSA/TPDS i.e. leakage/diverBion of subsidized foodgnins,  regarding issuance of  ration cards, complaints  regarding fair  price shop functioning etc. they are forwarded to  the concerned State/UT Governments for inquiry and appropdate action. An offence committed in violation of the provisions  of Publlc Distribution System (Gontrol) Order, 2O{5 is liable for penal action under the Essential Gommodities Act, {955. Thus, the Order empowerc  State/UT Governments to take punitive  action in case of contraventlon  of relevant provisions of these Orders.

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