Lok Sabha Question No. 1748 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-08
Subject: Cut in Allocation
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, JOSE K. MANI, N.K. PREMACHANDRAN, RAMA DEVI, KRISTAPPA NIMMALA, SAKUNTALA LAGURI, ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT, SADASHIV KISAN LOKHANDE, R. PARTHIPAN, JANAK RAM, KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN, SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1748 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08 TH  MARCH, 2016

## CUT IN ALLOCATION

1748. SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

SHRI JOSE K. MANI:

SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

SHRI NIMMALA KRISTAPPA:

SHRIMATI SAKUNTALA LAGURI:

SHRI ARVIND SAWANT:

SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE:

SHRI R. PARTHIPAN:

SHRI JANAK RAM:

SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH:

Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to revamp the old Public Distribution System (PDS) which has been in operation for decades and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  reduced  the  foodgrains  allocation  for  some States, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor indicating the quantum of various items allocated and lifted during the last three years, State-wise;
- (c) whether requests have been received for restoration of old quota or additional quota,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  response  of  the  Government  thereto, Statewise;
- (d) whether a wide variation is present in utilisation of PDS between the urban and rural areas, if so, the details thereof and response of the Government thereto, Statewise; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  complaints  received  regarding  irregularities  and  delay  in supply of PDS quota, if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken thereon?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

(a):  The  Government of India has enacted National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 which has come into force with effect from 5.7.2013.  The Act provides for coverage upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population of the country for  receiving 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month to Priority Households (PHH) and  35  kg  per  family  per  month  to  Antodaya  Anna  Yojana  (AAY)  households  at subsidized prices of Rs.3/2/1 for rice, wheat and coarsegrains respectively.

The   NFSA, 2013, also contains measures for reforms in TPDS, to be undertaken progressively  by  the  Central  and  State/UT  Governments.  These  reforms  inter  alia include  door-step  delivery  of  foodgrains  at  the  FPS,  application  of  ICT  tools,  cash transfer of food subsidy scheme, preference to public institutions/bodies in licensing of FPSs, etc.

Further,  to  revamp  and  improve  the  Targeted  Public  Distribution  System (TPDS), a  plan scheme namely 'End-to-end computerization of TPDS operations' initiated during the 12 th  Five Year Plan, comprises activities, namely- digitization of ration card/ beneficiary and other databases, computerization of supply chain management, setting up of transparency portals and grievance redressal mechanisms.

- (b):    There has been no reduction of foodgrains under normal TPDS allocation to any State/UT.
- (c):        Requests  have  been  received  from  States/UTs  for  additional/higher allocation under TPDS. Requests have also been received from the States/UTs for additional allocations for natural calamities, festivals  and  other additional requirements of the States/UTs. Keeping in view the requests received from the States,  Government  has  made  additional  allocations  of  50.02  lakh  tons  of foodgrains  during  the  current  year  for  BPL  and  APL  families  in  the  States/UTs which have not implemented the NFSA. In addition, Government of India has also allocated  a  quantity  of  around  11.70  lakh  tons  of  foodgrains  during  the  current year  to  the  States/UTs  for  natural  calamity,  festivals  and  other  additional requirements  of  the  States.      The  details  of  additional  allocation  made  during 2015-16 to States/UTs are at Annex-I
- (d):    Under NFSA coverage of rural population is upto 75% and urban population is upto 50%. The task of distribution of PDS  foodgrains to the eligible beneficiaries is in the domain of State/UT Governments.
- (e): There  have  been  complaints  about  irregularities  in  the  functioning  of  the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in some States/regions in the country. As  and  when  complaints  are  received  by  the  Government  from  individuals  and organizations  as  well  as  through  press  reports,  these  are  referred  to  the  State Governments/UT Administrations concerned for inquiry and appropriate action.

Strengthening  and  streamlining  of  Targeted  Public  Distribution  System (TPDS) is a continuous endeavour. To improve functioning of TPDS, Government has  been  regularly  issuing  advisories  and  holding  meetings,  conferences,  etc. wherein State/UT Governments are requested for review of lists of beneficiaries, improving  the  offtake  of  allocated  foodgrains,  ensuring  timely  availability  of foodgrains  at  Fair  price  Shops  (FPSs),  greater  transparency  in  functioning  of TPDS, improved monitoring and vigilance at various levels, improving the viability of FPS operations, etc.

TPDS(C) Order, 2015 inter-alia requires State Government to take following important steps for reforming TPDS:-

1. Ensure through Authorised Agency, Physical delivery of foodgrains at FPS.
2. Obtain Monthly certificate confirming delivery of allocated foodgrain at FPS and its distribution to eligible household.
3. 3.
4. Application of IT tools for functioning of PDS.
4. Ensure  monitoring  of  end-to-end  operations  of  TPDS  through  electronic platform.
5. Notify Internal Grievance Redressal Mechanism

Further, if any person contravenes any of the provisions of this Order, he shall be liable to punishment under section 7 of the E.C. Act.

****

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c)  OF  THE  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  1748  DUE  FOR  ANSWER  ON  08.03.2016  IN  THE  LOK SABHA.

## Additional allocation for festival,flood etc. during 2015-16

(in thousand tons)

| State       |      Total | Issue Price     | Remarks                                            |
|-------------|------------|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| Assam       |   35       | economic cost   | Flood allocation                                   |
| Assam       |   50.36    | economic cost   | Tea Plantation Allo.                               |
| Bihar       |  300       | economic cost   | Flood allocation                                   |
| Bihar       |   25       | economic cost   | Shtabdi kalash yojna                               |
| J&K         |    0.13    | MSP             | Amarnath Yatra                                     |
| Maharashtra |    3.5     | MSP             | Simhastha Kumbh                                    |
| Maharashtra |   11       | economic cost   | Addl. TPDS requirement                             |
| Maharashtra |   11       | economic cost   | Addl. TPDS requirement                             |
| Maharashtra |   23       | economic cost   | Addl. TPDS requirement                             |
| Maharashtra |   34       | economic cost   | Addl. TPDS requirement                             |
| Maharashtra |   34       | economic cost   | Addl. TPDS requirement                             |
| Maharashtra |  407       | MSP/MSP derived | Drought relief                                     |
| Manipur     |  120       | MSP derived     | Addl. TPDS requirement(from Sept, 2015- Feb, 2016) |
| Mizoram     |    7.52326 | economic cost   | Bru Migrants (from June 2015-May 2017)             |
| Nagaland    |    1.7     | MSP derived     | Christmas and local festival                       |
| Tripura     |    3.19349 | economic cost   | Bru Migrants (from April to September, 2015)       |
| Tripura     |    3.19349 | economic cost   | Bru Migrants (from Oct 2015 to March 2016)         |
| Tamil Nadu  |   30       | MSP derived     | Flood allocation                                   |
| Uttarakhand |    1.44    | MSP             | Chardham Yatra                                     |
| Uttarakhand |   54.24    | economic cost   | Addl. TPDS requirement                             |
| Uttarakhand |   14       | MSP/MSP derived | Ardh Kumbh Mela                                    |
| Lakshadweep |    0.5     | economic cost   | Addl. TPDS requirement                             |
| Total       | 1169.78    |                 |                                                    |