Lok Sabha Question No. 2609 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: Fair Price Shops
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Benny Behanan

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2609 TO BE ANSWERED ON 7TH AUGUST, 2024

## FAIR PRICE SHOPS

## 2609  SHRI BENNY BEHAN AN

Will  the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION w+tm wmd, um  all  tIT#XfM fqZM ddt be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of fair price shops operating in Kerala;
- (b) the quantity of subsidized foodgrains distributed through these shops during the last )-earl
- (C) the measures taken to check the diversion of subsidized foodgrains to open market; and
- (d) the action taken against erring fair price shop dealers?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBIL4NIYA)

- (a): As per information available in this Department, at present, 13,913 Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in Kerala are involved in the distribution offoodgrains.
- (b): A  total quantity of 9.84 LMT  of  foodgrains have been distributed by Government of  Kerala during  the last year i.e. 2023-24
- (c) &  (d): Targeted Public Distribution  System (TPDS) governed  under National Food Security Act,  2013 MSA) is  operated under the joint responsibility  of  the  Central and the  State/IIT Governments. The  operational responsibilities for allocation of foodgrains within the  States/tJTs. identification of  eligible  beneficiaries &  families, issuance of  ration cards to  them, distribution of foodgrains to  eligible beneficiaries, supervision and monitoring of  functioning of  Fair Price Shops (FPSs) etc. rest with  the concerned State/ UF  Governments

Diversion of subsidized foodgrains to open market is an offence committed  in \'iolation of the provisions of  TPDS (Control) Order, 2015, which is liable for penal action under  the  Essential Commodities Act,  1955. Thus, the Order empowers State/UF Governments to take punitive  actIon. also against the erring fair  price shop dealers, in  case of contravention of relevant provisions of these Orders. A Statement showing results of action taken by the State Government of Kerala under relevant clause of  the TPDS  (Control)  Order, 2015 is Annexure.

##888

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) &  (d) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2609 FOR ANSWER ON 07.08.2024 IN THE LOK SABHA

## Statement showing results of action taken by the State Government of Kerala  under relevant clauses of the  TPDS  (Control) Or'der',2015.

(Compilation of information received from States/UTs by 30/06/2024)

| Name of the State/UT   |   Year | Number of Inspections   | Number of raids conducted   | Number of persons arrested/ prosecuted convicted   | Number of FPS Licenses suspended/ Cancelled/ Show cause notices issued/ FIR Lodged   |
|------------------------|--------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Kerala &TH             |   2015 | 78505                   | 18269                       |                                                    |                                                                                      |
| Kerala &TH             |   2016 | 93502                   | 24646                       |                                                    |                                                                                      |
| Kerala &TH             |   2017 | 55781                   | 4579                        |                                                    |                                                                                      |
| Kerala &TH             |   2018 | 34538                   | 2088                        |                                                    |                                                                                      |
| Kerala &TH             |   2019 | 8                       | +                           |                                                    |                                                                                      |
| Kerala &TH             |   2020 |                         |                             |                                                    |                                                                                      |

>B)k#88