Lok Sabha Question No. 447 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Difficulties faced by Ration Card Holders
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Imran Masood

## ORIGINAL IN HINDI

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.447 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27TH NOVEMBER, 2024

## DIFFICULTIES  FACED BY RATION  CARD HOLDERS

## t447 SHRI IMRAN  MASOOD:

Will  the Minister  of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND  PUBLIC  DISTRIBUTION WItur wa, aTV at tIT+Tfjq  fiHWI THt be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to  increase the number of  ration  card holders  in urban and rural areas;
- (b) whether the Government is aware of the fact that even after applying  for ration card by very needy applicant, the cards are not being made for one or two  years;
- (c) whether the Government intends to  have continuous monitoring  of  the Public  Distribution System by public representatives;  and
- (d) if  so, the time by which  it  is likely  to be done and if  not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The National Food Security Act,  2013 (NFS A)  provides for  coverage upto 75% of  rural population and upto 5094 of  urban population for  receiving  highly  subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution  System  (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the total population which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crore. Coverage  under the Act is substantially high to ensure that all the -,'ulnerable and needy sections of the society get its benefit. Further, against the intended coverage of  81.35 crore, the States/UTs have identified  only  80.67 crore person. Still,  there is  a scope of identification  of 0.68 crore more beneficiaries under the NFS A.

Section 9 of  the Act  provides  that the total  number of  persons to  be covered in  rural  and urban areas of  the State shall be calculated on the basis of  the population estimates as per the Census of which the relevant figures have been published. Therefore, any revision in coverage shall be possible only  after the relevant data of next population Census is published.

(b): Under the joint  responsibility of the Central and State Government, the responsibility for identification of  beneficiaries and issuance of  their ration cards rests with  the concerbed State Government. The Central Government issues advisories to  all  the States/Union Territories from time to time to identify all eligible and poor persons/ households including  vulnerable Sections of the Society for  inclusion under the NFS A.  States are undertaking updation of  their beneficiary database so that bogus ration cards get deleted and better targeting of rightful  beneficiaries is ensured. Thus, deletion of  ineligible  beneficiaries  and addition of eligible  beneficiaries  under the Act is a continuous process.

(c) & (d): The NFS A 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 Act defines "social audit"  as the process  in which people collectively monitor and  evaluate the  planning and  implementation of  a  programme or  scheme. Thus,  the  Act contains necessary provisions  for  monitoring of schemes by  the  people  or communIty.

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