Lok Sabha Question No. 526 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Nutrition-Rich Food Procurement
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Smt. Roopkumari Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 526 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23RD JULY, 2025

## NUTRITION-RICH FOOD PROCUREMENT

## 526.  SMT. ROOPKUMARI CHOUDHARY:

Will  the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken steps to  include nutrition-rich  food items such as pulses, millets and other protein and fibre-rich  foods in the Public Distribution  System (PDS) and allied food security  schemes;

(b) the  quantity of  such nutrition-rich  food  procured and distributed in  the  State of C:hhattisgarh during  the last five  years, Scheme and year-wise;

(c) whether the Government is facing challenges in the procurement, storage, or delivery of such items, i.e., perishable or  high-cost protein sources like  eggs, milk  and pulses in Chhattisgarh especially in tribal  or remote areas; and

(d) the measures taken by the Government to improve the availability  and accessibility of nutrition-rich food items for beneficiaries in the said State, in line with updated nutritional and dietary  standards?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a): 'Millets',  which are commonly known as Nutri-Cereals, are already a part of Public Distribution  System (PDS). Millets  are alloeated in terms of National Food Security Act, 2013. From lst January  2024,  the  aforesaid  allocation is  being made  free  of  cost  under  Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

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As per existing policy  of Government of  India, the procurement of  coarse grains is regulated by guidelines  for  allocation,  distribution,  and disposal of  coarse grains (Jowar, Bajra, Maize  &  Ragi  etc.)  and 6 minor  millets  procured  by  the  States/FCI.  Under  these guidelines, States are allowed to  procure these commodities in Decentralized  Procurement mode from farmers at Minimum  Support Price (MSP)  for distribution  under Targeted Public  Distribution System (TPDS)/Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).

To improve the level  of nutrition,  an advisory has been issued to all  the States/U's  to procure millets  and distribute  them to  beneficiaries as per local consumption preferences  and as per guidelines issued by the Central Government from time to time. However, if any deficit State places demand ofmillets, the same is to be made available from surplus procuring States to the deficit States.

All  State Governments are being pursued by the Govt.  of India to take necessary steps to increase the procurement of millets in the States through State govt. agencies, like wheat and paddy.

In  order to promote the procurement and distribution of  millets and to  obviate the difficulties faced by the States, the Govt. of India has issued revised guidelines in 2021-22. The salient features of which  are as under: -

- (i) in  order to increase the procurement and distribution  of  millets  under NFS A/  OWS, distribution  period/  shelf  life  of  millets  has been enhanced up to 9 months for  Jowar/BQjra and 10 months for R\_agi from existing 3 months.
- (ii) Provision for inter-state transportation ofmillets from surplus procuring States to deficit States that are willing to distribute  millets  under NFSA/  OWS has been incorporated.
- (iii) A provision for advance subsidy, as being given in case of procurement and distribution of wheat/rice, has been added in the guidelines.

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- (iv) Apart from three major millets  procured under Central Pool i.e. Jo\var, Bajra and Ragi. Govt. of India has also allowed the procurement of following minor/ pseudo millets on the MSP ofRagi from 2023 :

Minor Millets- Foxtail Millet  (Kangani/ Kakun), Proso Millet (Cheena), Kodo Millet (Kodo), little mil]et  (Kutki)  Pseudo Millets-  (Buck-wheat (kuttu)  and Ameranthus(Chaulai)

- (v) Govt. of India, on  the  recommendations of  Commission of Agricultural Costs  and Prices (CACP), has also increased the MSP for  millets year on year to promote their public procurement  .

As per the Government of India  decision,  pulses procurement has been carried out by FCI  and other agencies (NAFF.D, NCCF, etc.) FInder Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) for creation of  buffer  stock  of  pulses through  domesl.ic procurement  and to provide  remunerative price to farmers during KMS  2015-16. KMS 2016-17 &  KMS  2016-17. Subsequently, the pulses procurement operation' was carried out under Price Support Scheme (PSS) from KMS 2017- 18 onwards.

- (b): No  procurement of  Millets has  been  done  by  the  State  Government of  Chhattisga.rh during the last mvc years.

As per the State Govt. of ChhattisgmJl, only Gram is distributed through PDS under category of  pulses in  the  State. Gram  is  distributed  only  in. Modified,  Area  Development Approach (MADA) and Scheduled Areas of  the state to  Priority  l-'lousehold and Antyodaya cardholders. Entitlement of Gram is 02 Kg  per ration card @ Rs.5 per Kg per mona 1. Gram is procured by the Chhattisgarh State Civil Supplies Corporation. The quantity of  procurement and distribution  of  Gram in the State of ChhaLtisgarh in the last five years is mentioned below In year-wIse manner:

.4/-

(in MT)

| S.No   | Year     |   Procurement |   Distribution |
|--------|----------|---------------|----------------|
|        | 2020-2 1 |       52201.2 |        43989.8 |
|        | 2021 -22 |       65588   |        61865.9 |
|        | 2022-23  |       49594.9 |        62350.8 |
|        | 2023 -24 |       72364.4 |        64723.6 |
|        | 2024-25  |       70188.3 |        66677.1 |

(c): Under NFS A,  only  foodgrains i.e Rice, Wheat and Coarse grains are distributed to eligible beneficiaries.

(d): in  order to promote nutri-cereals, Govt. of India promotes procurement and distribution of Millets - Jowar, Bajra and Ragi in PMGKAY/ Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)/ Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) and PM-POSHAN/ Mid-Day Meal (MDM)  apart from distribution  under PDS.

Further, vide Govt.  of  India's  guidelines dated 09.08.2023, Minor  Millets  -  Foxtail Millet (Kangani/ Kakun), Proso Millet (Cheena), Kodo Millet (Kodo), little millet (Kutki) and Pseudo Millets-  (Buck-wheat (kuttu) and Ameranthus (Chaulai) have also been included in the procurement and consumption through distribution under the TPDS/ ICDS/ MDM.

With an aim to provide vulnerable populations with enhanced nutrition, Govt. of India now procures and distributes Fortified Rice enriched with  iron, folic  acid and vitamin B12 under its different schemes i.e. PMGKAY  and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).

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