Lok Sabha Question No. 4256 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-29
Subject: Supply to Ration Shops
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: S. Gnanathiraviam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4256

TO BE ANSWEREDON THE 29 th MARCH, 2022

## SUPPLY TO RATION SHOPS

4256. SHRI GNANATHIRAVIAM S.:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षएवंकसानकयाणमंी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  ration  shops  are  not  getting  adequate  and regular supply of wheat, rice and sugar etc. resulting in rise in prices of these items in the open market; and
- (b) if so, the remedial measures proposed by the Government to ensure regular supply of food items to the ration shops so that the public do not suffer on this account?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षएवंकसानकयाणमंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides for a maximum coverage of 81.35  Crore  beneficiaries  in  the country  to  receive the monthly  benefit  of highly subsidisedfoodgrains  through  the  country's  Targeted  Public  Distribution  System  (TPDS) and  as  per  the  provisions  of  the  Act,  the  States/UTs  have  identified  maximum  eligible beneficiaries up to their respective ceiling limits of the NFSA. Accordingly, the Government is allocating foodgrains i.e., Rice, Wheat and Coarse grains to the States/UTs for monthly distribution to the number of eligible beneficiaries/households identified by the States/UTs under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Household (PHH) categories of the Act at the scale of 35 Kg per AAY family per month and 5 Kg per PHH person per month at highly subsidised Central Issue Prices (CIP) of Rs. 3, 2 and 1 per Kg of Rice, Wheat and Coarse grains respectively through the Fair Price Shops (FPSs) under the TPDS.

Further, as per the NFSA, it is the responsibility of the States/UTs to allocate the foodgrains within the State/UT up to all FPSs as per the number of AAY and PHH ration cards attached to the FPSs, lift the foodgrains from the depots of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) / Central Stocks, and ensure door-step-delivery of allocated foodgrains to all FPSs for timely distribution of entitled quota of highly subsidised foodgrains to all NFSA beneficiaries from the FPSs.

(b):      As  part  of  the  technology  driven  TPDS reforms undertaken by the Government  in association  with  all  States/UTs,  all  NFSA  ration  cards/beneficiaries'  data  is  completely digitised in all States/UTs, online allocation of foodgrains up to all FPSs is implemented in all  States/UTs,  transparency  portals,  online  grievance  redressal  facilities  and  toll  free helplines  are  setup  in  all  States/UTs,  and  so  far,  the  electronic  Point  of  Sale  (ePoS) devices for transparent distribution to beneficiaries are installed in about 5.29 Lakh (99%) of  total  5.34  Lakh  FPSs  in  the  country.  Further,  States/UTs  are  also  advised  that  the receipt of monthly allocated foodgrains at the FPSs shall also be acknowledged through ePoS devices with biometric authentication of FPS dealers to ensure timely availability and distribution of foodgrains to all beneficiaries. Besides, some States/UTs are also sending SMS  alerts  to  some  registered  beneficiaries  and  FPS  dealers  about  the  dispatch  of foodgrains to the FPSs to maintain transparency in availability of foodgrains at the FPSs. Additionally, the  beneficiaries may also leverage the technology driven One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan for inter-State and intra-State portability of ration cards to lift their quota of foodgrains from any FPS of choice, anywhere in the country by using their same/existing ration card with biometric authentication on an ePoS device.

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