Lok Sabha Question No. 3154 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-08
Subject: Food for Poor and Destitute
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Thirumaa Valavan Thol

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION N0.3154 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2023

## FOOD FOR POOR AND DESTITUTE

## 3154. SHRI THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOL:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Supreme court urged the Government to frame a National  level  scheme to provide cooked food to the poor and the destitute at a subsidised rate;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has framed any National level scheme to provide cooked food to the poor and destitute at subsidised rate or at a cheaper rate; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI A. NARAYANASWAMY)

- (a) & (b): A Writ Petition (c) No. 103/2019 titled Anun Dhawan Ors Vs Union of India &Ors is pending before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. Hon'ble Court has passed several interim orders in the matter. Counter affidavit has been filed in the matter in consultation with several union Ministries/ Departments and all States/UTs. Final judgment in the matter is to come and hence the matter is presently sub-judice. yet
- (c) to (d): Government  of India is   implementing the  following schemes to provide   free food/food grains to poor and destitute:

The Annapurna Scheme: Annapurna scheme was launched on [st April 2000 and provides 10 kg of wheat or rice free of cost to eligible old-age persons from BPL families not covered under old age pension scheme. The upper limit of beneficiaries is 8.32 lakh: The State-wise ceiling under the scheme is at Annexure.

2. However; with the implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA) from the year 2013, beneficiaries are able to purchase $ kg per eligible person per month of cereals at & nominal of Rs.1-3 per kg: Hence, providing 10 kg of food grains to beneficiaries of Annapurna   scheme is no longer attractive. As a result, the lifting of food under the Annapurna scheme has shown a declining trend since 2016-/7 and has been nil since 2019-20 price grains

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY): Centre launched a new integrated food security  scheme   from 1 January 2023 Mantri  Garib Kalyan Ann   Yojana (PMGKAY) The New scheme PMGKA Y has started from Ist January 2023, benefitting more than 80 crore poor and poorest of poor people:

The Central Government will spend more than Rs 2 lakh crore in 2023 as food subsidy under NFSA and other welfare schemes, to remove the financial burden of the poor and the poorest of the poor:

Shakti Sadan Scheme: Under the newly approved Mission Shakti SwadharGreh for Women in difficult circumstances and Ujjawala Home for prevention of trafficking have been merged and renamed as Shakti Sadan which is an Integrated Relief and Rehabilitation Home for the women in distress  situations and difficult circumstances. The  residents  of Shakti Sadan are provided shelter, food, health, other requirements; etc. under the scheme.

This is a centrally Sponsored Scheme with funding ratio of 60.40 between the Central and the State Governments and UTs with legislature except Northeast & Special Category States where funding ratio is 90:10. For UTs without legislature, 100% funding to be provided by the Central Government: The implementation of the Scheme rests with the States/UTs.

Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 is implemented for improving nutrition indicators in the country. Under this Mission, Anganwadi Services Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls has been  reorganized into 3 primary verticals: (i) Nutrition Support for POSHAN and for Adolescent Girls (ii) Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years] and (iii) Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadis being

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Annexure Statc-UT-wise ceiling of beneficiaries\_under\_Annapurna Scheme

|    | IStates/UTs        | Ceiling of beneficiaries   |
|----|--------------------|----------------------------|
|    | Andhra Pradesh     | 54354                      |
| 2  | BBihar             | 166600                     |
|    | Chhattisgarh       | 24196                      |
|    | Goa                | 420                        |
|    | Gujarat            | 35377                      |
|    | Haryana            |                            |
|    | Himachal Pradesh   | 2644                       |
|    | Vharkhand          | 54939                      |
|    | Karnataka          |                            |
|    | Kerala             | 36904                      |
|    | Madhya Pradesh     |                            |
|    | Maharashtra        | 108000                     |
|    | Odisha             | 64800                      |
|    | [Punjab            |                            |
|    | Rajasthan          | 47500                      |
|    | Tamil Nadu         | 66388                      |
|    | [elangana          | 38846                      |
|    | Uttar Pradesh      |                            |
|    | Uttarakhand        |                            |
| bo | West Bengal        | 65068                      |
|    | NE States          |                            |
|    | Arunachal Pradesh  | 1840                       |
|    | Assam              | 25308                      |
|    | Manipur            | 3320                       |
|    | Meghalaya          | 3580                       |
|    | Mizoram            | 1000                       |
|    | Nagaland           | 2600                       |
|    | ISikkim            | 960                        |
|    | Tripura            | 5740                       |
|    | Union Territories  |                            |
|    | A&N [slands        | 560                        |
|    | Chandigarh         | 440                        |
| 31 | DeN Haveli and DeD | 358                        |
|    | NCT Delhi          | 8040                       |
|    | p&K                | 10220                      |
|    | Ladakh             |                            |
|    | Lakshadweep        | 60                         |
| 36 | [Puducherry        | 1580                       |
|    | TOTAL              | 831642                     |

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