Lok Sabha Question No. 1497 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-04
Subject: Selling Foodgrains through FPSs
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Yogender Chandolia

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1497 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH DECEMBER, 2024

## SELLING FOODGFLAINS THROtJGH FPSS

## 1497. SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION witUT WI&  @ru Bar aT+qfjq fRan =Ht be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the State Governments that have violated the rules of Gazette notifications dated 20th March, 2015 and 17th August, 2015 by  not  allowing commodities other than foodgrains to be sold through Fair Price Shops (FPSs) under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in  the country  and whether the Government has taken any action against those States;
- (b) if  so, the details thereof and the reasons for not  implementing Rule 9(9) of the Gazette notification dated 20th March, 2015, which allows the sale of commodities other than foodgrains to  improve  the viability of  FPS operations;
- (c) the steps being taken by the Government to implement the Bharat Brand Scheme in its entirety  including  the second phase and to ensure sustained viability ofFPSs  in Delhi;  and
- (d) the time by which the Government plans to comply with the afore-mentioned  Gazette notifications and orders and allow  the sale of other essential commodities  through FPSs in  Delhi?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a) to  (d)  : The Targeted Public Distribution  System (TPDS) governed under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFS A)  is operated under the joint  responsibility of the Central and the State/ Union Territory  (UT)  Governments. The operational responsibilities for  allocation of foodgrains within the States/ UTs, identification of eligible beneficiaries  families, issuance of ration cards to  them, distribution of  foodgrains to  eligible beneficiaries under TPDS and supervision over and monitoring of functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) etc. rest with the concerned State/ UT  Governments. As per Clause 9(9)  of the TPDS  (Control)  Order, 2015, the State Government shall allow the  sale of  commodities other than the foodgrains distributed under TPDS at the fair price shop to improve the viability of the fair price shop operations.

As part of efforts to improve the viability of FPSs, Government of India has taken various initiatives  and requested all  State/UT Governments to implement  additional services at the FPSs, including  Common  Service Centre (CSC) services, banking services through tie-up  with  banks/ corporate banking correspondents, banking and citizen-centric services of  India  Post Payment Bank (IPPB), retail  sale of  small (5kg) LPG cylinders  and sale of  other commodities/ general store items etc. Further, a pilot  study is being conducted to improve the viability  of  60 FPS across 4  cities i.e. Hyderabad,  Ghaziabad, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. Govt of India under leadership of respective States is providing  handholding  assistance to  these FPS shops by partnering with  the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for the provision of working capital and Business to  Business (B2B)  onlille  wholesale aggregators  for  the  sale of  non-PDS items with  a focus on nutritional  items. Further, to  address the skill  development challenges, this  Department has conducted capacity-  building  programs or short-term  skill  development courses through the Ministry  of  Skill  Development &  Entrepreneurship (MSDE)  to boost the confidence of these FPS owners and equip them with  the essenTial entrepreneurship  skills  required for venturing  into new business avenues.

As per Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) [OMSS (D)] policy for the year 2024-25, the sale of wheat and rice is allowed to Central Cooperative organizations, like NAFED/NCCF/ Kendriya Bhandar (retail  Sale) for  sale under Bharat Brand through  own  stores/ mobile  vans and/or E-commerce/ big chain retailers only.

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