Lok Sabha Question No. 3151 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: PMGKAY in Jalpaiguri
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3 151

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19TH MARCH, 2025

## PM(,KAY IN JALPAIGURI

## 3151. DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

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

- (a) the total quantity of  foodgrains allocated to Jalpaiguri district under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY);
- (b) the status of  food storage infrastructure in  the district and whether there are any proposals to construct  additional  storage depots; and
- (c) the measures taken to  ensure that all  eligible beneficiaries receive their entitlements under the Yoj ana?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The Central Government allocates food  grains to  States/UT Government. During Current Financial Year (FY)  2024-25 total  39,70,620 MT  of  food grains (17,11,612 MT Wheat &  22,59,008 MT  Rice) has been allocated by  this  Department to  Govt. of  West Bengal under PMGKAY.  District-wise  allocation is  made by  the concerned State/UT Government. As per Food Corporation of India (FCI), the total quantity of  food grains allocated to  Jalpaiguri  district  under  PMGKAY during  FY  2024-25 (as on 28.02.2025) is 1,13,308 MT (68,089 MT  of Rice &  45,219 MT  of  Wheat).
- (b): One godown (Central Storage Depot at Dabgram) of 68510 MT  capacity is operating in the district ofJalpaiguri  (West Bengal) by FCI.

Requirement of  Storage capacity depends upon the level  of procurement, requirement of buffer norms and Public Distribution System (PDS) operations for food grains (Rice and Wheat). FCI  continuously assesses and monitors the  storage capacity and based on  the requirement and storage gap assessment, storage capacities are created/hired through following schemes at a Pan India level including West Bengal:-

1. Construction of Silos under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
2. Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme
3. 3, Central Sector Scheme 'Storage & Gc)downs''.
4. Hiring  of  godown from  Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)/  State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs)/State Agencies.
5. Private Warehousing  Scheme (PWS).
6. Creation of godowns under Asset Monetization.

(c): The National Food Security Act,  2013 (NFS A)  provides a legal entitlement to  81.35 crore persons to  avail  foodgrains at  free of  cost. As  part  of  the technology driven Public Distribution System  (PDS) reforms, with the  aim to improve the efficiency and  reduce leakages in  the  PDS,  ration  cards/beneficiaries database have been  completely  digitized (100%) in all  States/UTs. The transparency portal and online grievance redressal facility/Tollfree  number have been implemented in  all  States/UTs. Also,  online  allocation has been implemented in all  States/UTs (except UTs of  Chandigarh, Puduchemy and Urban area of Dadra & Nagar Haveli which  have adopted DBT  Cash Transfer scheme) and supply chain has been computerized in 3 1 States/UTs.

Further, nearly 5.41 Lakh (99.6%) out of total 5.43 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by installing  ePoS devices for the distribution  of foodgrains in a transparent manner (electronically) through biometric/ Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries.

The nation-wide  portability of ration  cards has been enabled in  all  36 States/UTs under One Nation  One Ration Card (ONORC)  feature which  ensures the food security of around 80 Crore beneficiaries in the country. Under the ONe)RC, the beneficiaries are empowered to lift their entitled  foodgrain from  any Fair  Price  Shop (FPS) of  their  choice, anywhere in  the country, by using their existing ration  card with  biometric  authentication on an electronic Point of  Sale (ePoS) device. The family  back home can also lift  the part of the foodgrains in  the home State/UT on the same ration card.

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