Lok Sabha Question No. 1812 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-13
Subject: Price Stabilization Fund
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Mukesh Rajput, P. C. Mohan, Ramesh Chander Kaushik, Khagen Murmu, Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit

## Government of India

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1812

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2023

## PRICE STABILIZATION FUND

1812.  SHRI MUKESH RAJPUT: SHRI P.C. MOHAN: SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK: SHRI KHAGEN MURMU: SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT:

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

- (a) the details of the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) that has been used since it was created in 2014-15, with a focus on the effects it had on inflation for commodities for which a buffer stock has been created;
- (b) the  names  of  the  agencies  involved  in  maintaining  the  stock,  including  the  distribution  of  money each agency has given to different States and Union Territories;
- (c) the steps taken by the Ministry to make the Price Stabilization Fund more efficient, especially during COVID;
- (d) the number of households which have benefited from this initiative;
- (e) the total amount of pulses that have been distributed thereunder, State-wise; and
- (f) the status of implementation of scheme of hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts, in every State and district since its launch in 2020?

## 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) & (b)  : Price  Stabilization  Fund  (PSF)  has  been  set  up  in  2014-15  to  stabilise  the  volatility  in  the prices of certain agri-horticultural commodities, namely, onion, potatoes and pulses to mitigate hardships faced  by  consumers.  The  objectives  of  PSF  are  (i)  to  promote  direct  purchase  from  farmers/farmers' associations at farm gate/ mandi; (ii) to maintain a strategic buffer stock of that would discourage hoarding and unscrupulous speculation; and (iii) to protect consumers by supplying such commodities at reasonable prices through calibrated release of stock. Under this scheme, dynamic buffer stock of pulses (Tur, Urad, Moong, Masur and Gram) and Onions has been created over the years. The maintenance of buffer stock and calibrated  releases  from  buffer  helped  in  reining  price  volatility  and  ensuring  availability  these  food commodities at affordable prices to the consumers. A total of Rs. 27,489 crore of budgetary support has been provided for the PSF since 2014-15 till 2023-24. The funds from PSF scheme have been utilised for providing  working  capital  and  other  incidental  expenses  to  Central  Nodal  Agencies  and  States/UTs  for procurement,  storage  and  disposal  of  the  agri-horticultural  commodities  maintained  in  the  PSF  buffer. Central  Nodal  Agencies  for  under  the  PSF  are  Food  Corporation  of  India  (FCI),  National  Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC), National  Cooperative  Consumers  Federation  (NCCF),  Metals  &  Minerals  Trading  Corporation (MMTC) and State Trading Corporation (STC). Details of funds released under Price Stabilisation Fund to Central Nodal Agencies and States/UTs are given at Annexure-I.

- (c) to (e)  : Pulses  from  the  PSF  buffer  were  utilised  to  ensure  availability  of  nutritional  food  to  the beneficiaries  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan  Anna  Yojana  (PMGKAY)  and  stranded  migrant  workers during Covid-19 pandemic. In pursuance to the announcement made under PMGKAY Package as part of Economic Response to COVID-19, the Department of Consumer Affairs had provisioned pulses out of the Price Stabilization Fund buffer for distribution @1kg per household per month, free of cost, to 19.4 crore beneficiary  Households,  initially  for  three  months  -  April  to  June,  2020.  Thereafter,  it  was  extended  for another  five  months,  i.e.,  July  to  November,  2020  under  which  Chana  Whole  from  the  PSF  buffer  was distributed, free of cost, to  beneficiary households @1kg per household. Further, under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat (ANB), Chana Whole from the PSF buffer was provided for distribution to stranded migrant workers for a period of two months May and June, 2020, free of cost, @1kg per 1kg per household per month. The state-wise quantities of pulses distributed under PMGKAY and ANB, and number of beneficiary households are given at Annexure-II .
- (f) : First  phase  of  the  mandatory  hallmarking  was  implemented  w.e.f.  23  June  2021  in  256 districts  for  14,  18  and  22  karats  of  gold  jewellery/artefacts  as  per  Gazette  Notification  No.  CG-DL-E25062021-227808 dated 23 rd June, 2021. Second phase of mandatory hallmarking was implemented w.e.f 01  June  2022  in  288  districts  (additional  32  districts)  for  14,  18,  20,  22,  23  and  24  karats  of  gold jewellery/artefacts  as  per  Gazette  Notification  No.  CG-DL-E-04042022-234822  dated  04 th April,  2022. Third  phase  of  mandatory  hallmarking  was  implemented  w.e.f  06  September  2023  in  343  districts (additional  55  districts)  for  14,  18,  20,  22,  23  and  24  karats  of  gold  jewellery/artefacts  as  per  Gazette Notification No. CG-DL-E-06092023-248618 dated 06 th  September, 2023.

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## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1812 FOR 13.12.2023 REGARDING PRICE STABILISATION FUND.

| Central Nodal Agencies                                                  | Amount (Rs. in crore)   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|
| National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) | 43,756.45               |
| Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC)                          | 754.20                  |
| Food Corporation of India (FCI)                                         | 1,574.28                |
| Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation (MMTC)                          | 2,611.54                |
| State Trading Corporation (STC)                                         | 42.81                   |
| National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF)                        | 2,299.41                |
| Funds released to states for State-Level PSF                            |                         |
| Andhra Pradesh                                                          | 50.00                   |
| West Bengal                                                             | 2.50                    |
| Telangana                                                               | 9.15                    |
| Odisha                                                                  | 25.00                   |
| Tamil Nadu                                                              | 2.50                    |
| Assam                                                                   | 75.00                   |
| Nagaland                                                                | 37.50                   |

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (c)  To  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1812 FOR 13.12.2023 REGARDING PRICE STABILISATION FUND.

| Sl. No.   | States/Uts                   | PMGKAY I (Apr - Jun. 2020)                 | PMGKAY I (Apr - Jun. 2020)            | PMGKAY II (Jul - Nov. 2020)                      | PMGKAY II (Jul - Nov. 2020)           | ANB (May &June, 2020)                      | ANB (May &June, 2020)                 |
|-----------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | States/Uts                   | Quantity distributed by States/UTs (in MT) | No. of Beneficiary Household (in nos) | Total Quantity distributed by States/UTs (in MT) | No. of Beneficiary Household (in nos) | Quantity distributed by States/UTs (in MT) | No. of Beneficiary Household (in nos) |
| 1         | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR            | 48.26                                      | 16,087                                | 81.40                                            | 16,280                                | 8.55                                       | 8,554                                 |
| 2         | ANDHRA PRADESH               | 25,894.28                                  | 86,31,425                             | 39,350.35                                        | 78,70,071                             | -                                          | -                                     |
| 3         | ARUNACHAL PRADESH            | 529.12                                     | 1,76,372                              | 881.87                                           | 1,76,373                              | 34.90                                      | 34,900                                |
| 4         | ASSAM                        | 17,356.12                                  | 57,85,373                             | 28,773.25                                        | 57,54,650                             | 788.27                                     | 7,88,270                              |
| 5         | BIHAR                        | 43,001.30                                  | 1,43,33,767                           | 77,117.14                                        | 1,54,23,428                           | 3,386.90                                   | 33,86,900                             |
| 6         | CHANDIGARH                   | 172.52                                     | 57,506                                | 296.73                                           | 59,345                                | 7.06                                       | 7,056                                 |
| 7         | CHHATTISGARH                 | 15,216.78                                  | 50,72,260                             | 25,351.97                                        | 50,70,394                             | 173.29                                     | 1,73,290                              |
| 8         | DADAR NAGAR HAVELIDAMAN& DIU | 195.72                                     | 65,239                                | 326.20                                           | 65,239                                | 13.05                                      | 13,050                                |
| 9         | DELHI                        | 5,173.99                                   | 17,24,662                             | 8,766.82                                         | 17,53,363                             | 113.33                                     | 1,13,332                              |
| 10        | GOA                          | 427.50                                     | 1,42,500                              | 711.55                                           | 1,42,310                              | 1.60                                       | 1,600                                 |
| 11        | GUJARAT                      | 19,325.53                                  | 64,41,843                             | 30,497.98                                        | 60,99,597                             | 21.39                                      | 21,392                                |
| 12        | HARYANA                      | 7,283.26                                   | 24,27,753                             | 10,995.97                                        | 21,99,194                             | 484.35                                     | 4,84,350                              |
| 13        | HIMACHAL PRADESH             | 1,952.38                                   | 6,50,794                              | 3,044.92                                         | 6,08,985                              | 121.00                                     | 1,20,997                              |
| 14        | JAMMU &KASHMIR               | 4,905.44                                   | 16,35,146                             | 8,154.52                                         | 16,30,905                             | 82.47                                      | 82,467                                |
| 15        | JHARKHAND                    | 17,086.13                                  | 56,95,376                             | 28,525.68                                        | 57,05,136                             | 1,088.14                                   | 10,88,140                             |
| 16        | KARNATAKA                    | 37,692.47                                  | 1,25,64,155                           | 60,482.87                                        | 1,20,96,575                           | 2,350.05                                   | 23,50,053                             |
| 17        | KERALA                       | 10,782.19                                  | 35,94,065                             | 18,073.79                                        | 36,14,758                             | 306.90                                     | 3,06,897                              |
| 18        | LADAKH                       | 87.37                                      | 29,123                                | 145.52                                           | 29,103                                | -                                          | -                                     |
| 19        | LAKSHADWEEP                  | 15.60                                      | 5,200                                 | 29.63                                            | 5,925                                 | 1.91                                       | 1,914                                 |
| 20        | MADHYAPRADESH                | 29,098.00                                  | 96,99,333                             | 48,805.30                                        | 97,61,060                             | 159.33                                     | 1,59,330                              |
| 21        | MAHARASHTRA                  | 43,211.21                                  | 1,44,03,738                           | 62,148.19                                        | 1,24,29,638                           | 1,248.46                                   | 12,48,455                             |
| 22        | MANIPUR                      | 1,762.51                                   | 5,87,503                              | 2,954.90                                         | 5,90,980                              | 80.87                                      | 80,872                                |
| 23        | MEGHALAYA                    | 1,264.51                                   | 4,21,503                              | 2,107.52                                         | 4,21,503                              | 84.30                                      | 84,300                                |
| 24        | MIZORAM                      | 346.33                                     | 1,15,442                              | 777.03                                           | 1,55,405                              | 29.75                                      | 29,750                                |
| 25        | NAGALAND                     | 854.80                                     | 2,84,933                              | 1,424.66                                         | 2,84,932                              | 56.00                                      | 56,000                                |
| 26        | ODISHA                       | 28,558.54                                  | 95,19,513                             | 44,577.52                                        | 89,15,504                             | 15.13                                      | 15,130                                |
| 27        | PUDUCHERRY                   | 494.48                                     | 1,64,827                              | 793.27                                           | 1,58,654                              | 17.61                                      | 17,606                                |
| 28        | PUNJAB                       | 10,413.83                                  | 34,71,276                             | 17,109.00                                        | 34,21,800                             | 1,015.72                                   | 10,15,720                             |
| 29        | RAJASTHAN                    | 30,029.78                                  | 1,00,09,928                           | 45,423.68                                        | 90,84,736                             | 2,002.04                                   | 20,02,040                             |
| 30        | SIKKIM                       | 281.57                                     | 93,857                                | 457.69                                           | 91,537                                | 18.71                                      | 18,708                                |
| 31        | TAMIL NADU                   | 33,323.76                                  | 1,11,07,920                           | 54,436.00                                        | 1,08,87,200                           | 193.00                                     | 1,93,000                              |
| 32        | TELANGANA                    | 15,988.18                                  | 53,29,393                             | -                                                | -                                     | 34.46                                      | 34,463                                |
| 33        | TRIPURA                      | 1,620.29                                   | 5,40,097                              | 2,795.74                                         | 5,59,148                              | 21.93                                      | 21,929                                |
| 34        | UTTAR PRADESH                | 1,00,226.40                                | 3,34,08,799                           | 1,68,636.60                                      | 3,37,27,319                           | 1,060.50                                   | 10,60,497                             |
| 35        | UTTARAKHAND                  | 4,034.58                                   | 13,44,859                             | 6,591.95                                         | 13,18,389                             | 25.60                                      | 25,595                                |
| 36        | WEST BENGAL                  | 43,587.00                                  | 1,45,29,000                           | 71,818.00                                        | 1,43,63,600                           | 2,680.00                                   | 26,80,000                             |
|           | Total                        | 5,52,241.70                                | 18,40,80,568                          | 8,72,465.18                                      | 17,44,93,036                          | 17,726.56                                  | 1,77,26,557                           |

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