Lok Sabha Question No. 1176 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-09
Subject: Irregularities in PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: M. Selvaraj, Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMEiIT  OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF GONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED OUESTION NO. {{76 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 9th February,2O2l

## IRREGULARITIES  IN PDS

1176.

S}IRI M. SELVARAJ:

S}IRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION  fisTtfdl  qrs  ,  sr6s e+{ Tr+dfi-{-  kfiur d+ be pleased to stater

- (a)  whether complaints  have been received
- regarding irregularities/diversion/ corruption in the Public Distribution System (PDS);
- if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon during each of the
- (b) last three  years and the current year, State-wase;
- (c)
- whether the Government  has conducted any review/assessment  of PDS in the recent past and if so, the details and the outcome thereof along with the actaon taken thereon;
- (d) whether the Government has taken or proposes to take any fresh steps for strengthening  and streamlining of PDS and if so' the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Govemment has put in place any mechanism for disposal of complaints regarding corruption in PDS and if so, the details thereof; and
- (O whether there is any system of checking the quality of food products distributed under PDS and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUT!ON

(SHR! DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a) & (b): The Targeted Public Distributaon  System (TPDS) is operated under the  ioint  responsibilities  of the Centra!  and the State/UT Governmentst wherein the  operational responsibitities' such as  identifacation  of beneficiaries/  households  under the National Food Security Actr 2Ol3 (NFSA)' issuance of ration cards to them, allocation of foodgrains  to all Fair Price Shops (FPSs), distribution  to beneficiaries,  licensing & monitoring  of FPSs, grievance  redres$al of beneficiaries including  irregularities/corruption  in TPDS operations,  diversion of foodgrains,  etc. lies with the concemed State/UT govemment. However, as and when any complaints are received in this Department from individuatsr  organizations as well as through  media reports regarding any arregularities  in the functioning of the TPDS are forwarded to the concemed  state/uT Government  for inquiry and appropriate  action at thear end. A State/UT wise statement showing number of complaints received in this Department during the last three years is at Annexure '1.

Further, an offence committed in violation of the provisions  of the TPDS (Control) Order,2O{5  is liable for penal action under the Essential Commodities Act,  {955. Thus, the  Order empowers all  State/UT Governments to take punitive actions in case of contravention  of the relevant provisions of the Order. During the last three years 2(J18 to 2O2O, actions pertaining  to number of FPS licenses suspended/cancelled/  show. cause notices issued/ FlRs lodged by States/UTs in a total of about 19r41O cases so far.

- (c): The Department had engaged 26  esteemed institutions/ universities as lU[onitoring lnstitutions  (MIs) for conducting the  'Concurrent Evaluation of the implementation  of NFSAT in States/UTs during 2O1A-2O. The quarterly reports were shared with the respective States/UTs for remedial action, if any hightighted by Mls in the key areas of beneficiary managernent,  FPS automationr supply chain management, portability of ration cards, cash transfers,  etc. Taking a step forwardr for the period 2O2O-23, the Department  has engaged 12 Mls for concurrent evaluation exercise in States/UTs on thematic basis.
- (d & e): To bring reforms in the functioning  of TPDS, the Department  in association with all States/UTs  had implemented  a scheme on  'End-to-End Gomputerization of TPDS Operations" comprising  -  digitization of ration cards/beneficiariest data, computerization  of supply chain management of foodgrains, setting up of online  grievance  redressal  mechanisms  & toll free hetplines and the installation  of electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices  at the Fair Price Shops (FPSs) for transparent and efficient distribution  of highly subsidised foodgrains  to the targeted beneficiaries/  households under NFSA. Besides, Aadhaar seeding of beneficiaries with their ration cards is also being done to enable rightful targeting  of beneficiaries. Presently, more than 7Oo/o ol monthly allocated foodgrains  to States/UTs are being distrib,uted  to beneficiaries  through biometrically authenticated ePoS transactions  on monthly basis. Further, portability of ration cards under One Nation One Ration Gard plan is also enabled in 32 States/UTs potentially  enabling about 69 Grore (867o NFSA population) to lift their foodgrains from any FPS of their choice in these States/UTs.
- (0: The Department has issued following  instructions  to all States/UTs and FGI to ensure the supply of good quality foodgrains  under PDS:
- i) only good quality foodgrains  free from insect infestation  and conforming to Food safety standards shall be issued under TPDS and other welfare schemes.

- ii) Ample oppottunities shatl be provided to the State GovernmenUUTs Administration  to inspect the stocks prior to lifting from FGI godowns. State/UTs may ensure that officers not below the rank of lnspector are deputed for inspection of the foodgrains  before their lifting from FGI godowns.
- iii) Samples of foodgrains shall be collected and sealed from the stocks of foodgrains to be issued under the TPDS  iointly  by FGI and State GovernmenUUT Administration.
- iv) An officer  not below the rank of lnspector shall be deputed from State Government  to take the delivery of foodgrains  stocks from FCI godowns.
- v) Regular inspection to check the quality of foodgrains  shall be carried out by the officerc of State Government.
- vi) tt  is  the  responsibility of  the  concemed  State Government/UT Administration shalt ensure that during transportation  and storage at different  stages in the distribution chain, the foodgrains  retain the required quality specifi cations.
- vii)The State Government,  where the decentralized  procurement  is in operation, should ensure that the quality of foodgrains  issued under TPDS and other welfare schemes shoutd meet the desired standards
- under the Food Safety and Standards  Authority  of India (FSSAI).

****

ANNEXURE REFERRED 7O IN REPLY To PART (a) &  (b) oF THE UNSTARRED SUESTIO}I NO.{,I76 FOR ANSWER  ON O9.O2.2O2{  tN THE LOK SABHA.

## STATEMENT:  GOMPLAINTS ON TPDS RECEIVED !il THE DEPARTMENT FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANISATIONS  & THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS ETC FROM 2OlAIO2O2O

| S. No. State/UT      | 2014   | 2019   | 2020   |
|----------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1 Andhr:r Pradesh    | 6 6    |        | 20     |
| 2 Arunar;hal Pradesh | 1      | 1      |        |
| 3 Assam              | 7      | 8      | 39     |
| 4 Bihar              | 135    | 119    | 335    |
| 5 Ghhatl isgarh      | I      | 7      | 17     |
| 6 Delhi              | 76     | 8l     | {86    |
| 7 Goa                |        | 1      |        |
| 8 Gujarat            | I      | I      | 36     |
| 9 Haryana            | 35     | 39     | 69     |
| to Himachal Pradesh  | 1      | 1      | 2      |
| 11                   | 5      | 3      | 7      |
| J&K 12 Jharkhrand    | 33     | 17     | 49     |
| Karnalaka            | t5     | {8     | 69     |
| 13 14 Kerala         | 11     | 11     | 13     |
| l5 Madhya Pradesh    | 24     | 26     | 55     |
| {6 Maharashtra       | 34     | 24     | t50    |
| Manipur 17           | 2      |        | 2      |
| Meghalaya {8         |        | 1      | 1      |
| {9 Mizoram           |        |        |        |
| 20 Nagalarnd         |        | 1      | 1      |
| 21 Orissa            | l6     | {6     | 39     |
| 22 Punjab            | 22     | 14     | 32     |
| 23 Rajast han        | 38     | 24     | 45     |
| Sikkim 24            |        |        |        |
| Tamil l{adu 25       | 27     | 16     | 46     |
| Telangana 26         | 3      | 3      | t8     |
| 27 Tripur.r          |        |        | 3      |
| 2A Uttara khand      | 15     | 14     | 27     |
| 29 Uttar [rradesh    | 369    | 343    | 589    |
| 30 West Eiengal      | 43     | 51     | 213    |
| 3t A&N lsiland       | 1      |        |        |
| 32 Ghandiigarh       | 2      |        | 5      |
| D& N llaveli 33      |        |        | 2      |
| Damanr & Diu 34      |        |        |        |
| 35 Laksh:rdweep      | 1      |        |        |
| 36 Puducherry        | 2      | 1      | 6      |
| TOTAL                | 941    | 855    | 2076   |