Lok Sabha Question No. 948 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-26
Subject: Sale of Rice under OMSS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Manjulata Mandal, T. R. Paarivendhar, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Ganesan Selvam, Dhanush M Kumar, C.N. Annadurai, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC  DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.948

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26TH JULY,  2023

## SALE OF RICE UNDER OMSS

## 948.. SHRIMATI  MANJULATA  MANDAL:

DR. T.R.  PAARIVENDHAR:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI SELVAM  G.:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. SUBHASH  RAMRAO BHAMRE:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD  AND PUBLIC

DiSTRiBUTiON 3q$fltmqnr+, vm  Bit WT+XfM fRIwr ++  be pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the  Government  has  discontinued the  sale  of  foodgrains from the central  pool under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to State
- Governments;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether this  move of the  Government has  affected State Governments in distributing  foodgrains to poor;
- (d) if so, whether the State Governments have taken up the matter with Union Government  in this  regard;
- (e) the response of Union Government thereto;
- (f) whether the Government is considering to liquidate rice under the OMSS to private parties from the central pool stock as per requirement and if so, the details  thereof;  and
- (g) the other steps taken by the Government that the prices of grain does not increase in the open market and people continue to  get it  at affordable rates?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a) to (b):  Considering expected deficiency in rainfall caused by El-Nino as speculated by India Meteorological Department  due to which Kharif crop production in country may be adversely affected, and in order to  control inflationary trends and to  maintain adequate stock  levels under central pool for  distribution under National Food Security Act  (NFSA) and other walfare schemes (OWS) for the benefit of the entire population of the country, the  sale of  wheat and  rice  under  Open  Market  Sale  Scheme (Domestic) [OMSS (D)] for  State Governments including Tamil  Nadu has been discontinued with effect from  13'06.,2023.
- (c) to (e):  State Government of Karnataka, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have requested for wheat and rice under OMSS(D) Policy which was not acceded  to  due  to  discontinuation of  sale  of  wheat and  rice  to  States under  OMSS(D) 2023.

The beneficiaries as per their entitlement under National Food Security Act (NFSA) are being provided with foodgrains free of cost till December, 2023

- (f): The Government of  India has decided to  offload  IO LMT of rice from central pool stock under OMSS (D) 2023 to  private parties in order to moderate the market prices.
- (g): Government has taken  various steps from time  to  time to  augment domestic availability and stabilize the prices of essential food commodities. These steps, inter-alia, include releases of wheat and rice under OMSS(D) from the buffer to cool down prices, imposition of wheat stock limits, monitoring of stocks declared by entities to prevent hoarding and restrictions on exports of the commodityu

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