Lok Sabha Question No. 3302 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-23
Subject: Food Security
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Sanjeev Kumar Singari

## M r N r sr Ry o F Go N s u M ::H :Ifl :)lr"# toJt "., " D I sr Rr B urt o N DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED OUESTION NO.33O2 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 23Ro MARCH,2022

## FOOD SECURITY

## 3302. DR. SANJEEV  KUMAR SINGARI:

Will the Minister of GONSUMER AFFAIRS' FOOD AND PUBLIG qrffifi G-f<ur  tr+ be pleased to state:

DISTRIBUTION  sc*ffr  qrr+, qrq qt<

- (a) whether  67o/o ol the total population is meant to be coveredr  using the rural-urban  population ratio in 2o{1, under the National Food security
- Act (NFSA)  through the Public Distribution Scheme  (PDS);
- (b)  if so, whether the Government is aware that due to the usage of outdated poputation  data from 2ol{, millions of intended beneficiaries
- are being left out of the scheme;
- (c) if so, whether the Government  has any plans to plug the data gaps
- of the PDS so that all intended  beneficiaries can be reached;
- (d)  if so, the details thereof  and if not' the manner in which the Government  plans to redress the significant  number of people being exctuded from PDS before the new Gensus data is available; and
- (e)  the other measures taken by the Government to ensure food security in lndia in the wake of the pandemic?

## ANSWER

MII{ISTER OF STATE FOR MIilISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND coNsultlER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD A PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION

(SADHVI  NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a)&(b):.TheNFsAprovidesforcoverageuptoT5%ofruralpopulation and upto 5o.o/o  ot urban  population  for receiving highly subsidized  foodgrains under Targeted  Public Distribution system (TPDS)' thus covering about two' thirds of the total poputation whidh at Gensus 2o{l comes to 81.35 crore. .Goveragd  under the Act is substantially  high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy secttons of the society get its benefit. Further, against the intended coverage of  81.35 crore, the states/uTs  have identified  only 79.72 crore person. stilt, there is a scope of identification of 1.63 crore more beneficiaries  under the NFSA.

States/ Union Territories have also been advised to ctean up their beneficiary database from time to t:me to ensure rightful targeting of beneficiaries  and inclusion  of  deserving  persons  within the ceiling determined  under the NFSA for availing benefits under the Act.

(c) A (d): Section  9 of the Act provides that the total number of persons to be covered in rural and urban areas of the State shall be calculated  on the basis of the population estamates  as per the Gensus of which the relevant figures have been publashed. Therefore, any revision an coverage shall be possible only after the relevant data of  next population  Gensus is published.

(e): Government  undertook timely and concrete measures  to ensure that there are no tong term effects of the Govid.{9 crisis on food security and nutrataon in the country. To fulfill this oblective, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yoiana (PMGKAY) was launched to ensure that the targeted beneficiaries do not face any assue of food security on account of the pandemic.

PMGKAY provided for additional  allocation of foodgrains @ 5 kg per person per month free of cost for all the beneficiaries  covered under Targeted Public Distribution System (Antyodaya Anna Yolana & Priority Households). This was over and above the monthly benefit provided under the National Food Security Act, 2Ol3 to about 8O crore persons.  The scheme was for the period Apri! to November, 2O2O and May to November, 2O21. The scheme has now been extended till March,2O22.