Lok Sabha Question No. 314 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Food Insecurity
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. M P Abdussamad Samadani, Shri K Sudhakaran, Shri Tanuj Punia, Shri Anto Antony

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3 14 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27TH NOVEMBER, 2024

## FOOD INSECURITY

- 314 SHRI K SUDHAKARAN: SHRI ANTO ANTONY: SHRI TANUJ PUNIA: DR. M P ABDUSSAMAD SAMADANI:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION WftnT wd, ©ra ah  tIT#gfjq fB6wT ++  be pleased to  state:

- (a) the total number of individuals experiencing food insecurity in the country, State-wise;
- (b) the  reasons for  which  the  Government is  failing  to  ensure equitable distribution  of foodgrains, particularly  in remote and underserved regions and the measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to improve the quality  and nutritional value offoodgrains  provided through the Public Distribution  System (PDS);
- (d) whether the Government monitors  the effectiveness of  food security programmes across the country; and
- (e) if  so, the details thereon

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a) &  (b): The National Food Security Act,  2013 (NFS A) provides for coverage of upto 75% of rural population and upto 50% of urban population for receiving highly  subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution  System  (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds  of the total population. Coverage under the Act  is substantially high to ensure that all  the vulnerable and needy sections of the society get its benefit. The Act  is being successfully implemented in all  the States/UTs and free of cost foodgrains are being distributed to about 80.67 crore beneficiaries  as per their entitlement under the Act. There is no report from  any State/UT regarding food insecurity.

- (c): in order to achieve  uniform nutritional impact of fortified rice among  the  targeted population, the  Government of  India  is  supplying fortified  rice throughout the  Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme, and Integrated Child  Development  Services (ICDS)  Scheme and in  other Welfare  Schemes  ( C)WS) in all States and Union Territories (UTs). Custom-milled rice has been replaced with fortified rice in every scheme of the Government and 100% coverage of distribution of  fortified rice has been achieved by March, 2024. Millets,  which  are commonly known as Nutri-  Cereals, are already a part of Public Distribution System  (PDS).

(d) & (e): The NFSA provides for periodic social audits on the functioning of fair price shops, Targeted Public Distribution System and other welfare schemes, through local authority, or any other authority  or body, as may be authorized by the  State Government. The Central Government may also conduct or  cause to be conducted social audit through independent agencies having experience in conduct of such audits.

The  Government has  engaged  Monitoring Institutions (MIs) of repute to undertake concurrent evaluation of the implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013 (}{FSA)  in all States/UTs for  03 years (2020-23). The  questionnaires devised for the  evaluation exercise also covered few questions on the receipt of  free foodgrains under PMGKAY. Reports submitted  by the Mls  of  the surveyed  households indicate  that ration under NFSA  have been provided  free of  cost since January 2023 to e]igible beneficiaries during the period of survey.

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