Lok Sabha Question No. 2662 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Implementation of NFSA and future
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: MD. BADARIDDOZA KHAN, PANKAJ CHOWDHARY, YERRAM VENKATA SUBBAREDDY, MEKAPATI RAJAMOHAN REDDY, Richard Hay, ARJUNLAL MEENA, KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2662

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  AUGUST, 2016

## IMPLEMENTATION OF NFSA

2662.

SHRI MD. BADARUDDOZA KHAN:

SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:

SHRI Y.V. SUBBA REDDY:

SHRI M. RAJA MOHAN REDDY:

PROF. RICHARD HAY:

SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA:

SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC

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

- (a) the salient features of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) along with the number of beneficiaries covered and the details of commodities distributed under the Public Distribution system/National Food Security Act in  the  country,  during  the  last  two  years  and  the  current  year,  State/UTwise;
- (b) whether the Government has received any request from the States to include  more  commodities  and  increase  allocation  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether  the  Supreme  Court  has  recently  made  critical  observation about  the  non-implementation  of  NFSA  by  some  States  and  if  so,  the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  to  bring  transparency  and  check  irregularities/ diversion under NFSA?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a) :  The salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) is at Annexure-I.

The  Act  is  being  implemented  in  34  States/Union  Territories  (UTs) and the number of beneficiaries being covered in these States/UTs is  at Annexure - II.

State/UT-wise  details  of  foodgrains  distributed  under  the  Public Distribution System (PDS)/National Food Security Act, during the last two years and the current year is at Annexure - III (a & b).

- (b)    :  Requests  have  been  received  from  some  States/UTs  for  higher coverage under NFSA  for receiving subsidized foodgrains. However, since a uniform methodology has been adopted for determining States/UTs-wise coverage, it has not been possible to agree to such requests.
- (c)      :  In  Writ  Petition  (C)  No.  857  of  2015  -  Swaraj  Abhiyan  Vs  Union  of India  and  Others  -  the  Supreme  Court  inter  alia  commented  on  delay  in implementation of NFSA by  States/UTs.

Implementation of NFSA is regularly reviewed/ monitored at various levels. As a result, the Act is being implemented in 34 States/UTs.

- (d)    :        The  Government  is  implementing  a  Plan  Scheme  on  'End-to-end Computerisation of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Operations' on  cost  sharing  basis  with  the  States/UTs.  The  Scheme  comprises activities, namely, digitization of ration cards/beneficiary and other databases,  computerization  of  supply-chain  management,  setting  up  of transparency  portals  and  grievance  redressal  mechanisms,  to  enable removal of bogus/ineligible ration cards, facilitate distribution of foodgrains to  intended  beneficiaries  at  fair  price  shops  (FPS),  check  leakages  and diversions etc.

****

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2662 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 02.08.2016 IN LOK SABHA

## SALIENT FEATURES OF THE NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT, 2013

- i. Coverage and entitlement under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS): Upto 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population will be covered under TPDS, with uniform entitlement of 5 kg per person per month. However, since Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households constitute poorest of the poor, and are presently entitled to 35 kg per household per month, entitlement of existing AAY households has been protected at 35 kg per household per month.
- ii. State-wise  coverage:  Corresponding  to  the  all  India  coverage  of  75%  and  50%  in  the  rural  and urban  areas,  State-wise  coverage  will  be  determined  by  the  Central  Government.  Planning Commission  (now  NITI  Aayog)  has  determined  the  State-wise  coverage  by  using  the  NSS Household Consumption Expenditure Survey data for 2011-12.
- iii. Subsidized prices under TPDS and their revision: Foodgrains under TPDS will be made available at subsidized prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains respectively for a period of three years from the date of commencement of the Act. Thereafter prices may be as fixed by the Central Government, but not exceeding MSP (derived MSP in case of rice).
- iv. In case, any State's allocation based on the coverage and foodgrains entitlements under the Act is lower than their allocation under erstwhile TPDS, it will be protected upto the level of average offtake during 2010-11 to 2012-13, at prices to be determined by the Central Government. Existing prices  for  APL  households  i.e.  Rs.  6.10  per  kg  for  wheat  and  Rs  8.30  per  kg  for  rice  has  been determined as issue prices for the additional allocation to protect the past average offtake under erstwhile TPDS.
- v. Identification of Households: Within the coverage under TPDS determined for each State, the work of identification of eligible households is to be done by States/UTs.
- vi. Nutritional Support to women and children: Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children in the age group of 6 months to 14 years will be entitled to meals, free of cost, as per prescribed nutritional norms under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) schemes. Higher nutritional norms have been prescribed for malnourished children upto 6 years of age.
- vii. Maternity  Benefit:  Pregnant  women  and  lactating  mothers  will  also  be  entitled  to  receive maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000.
- viii. Women Empowerment: Eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of ration cards.
- ix. Grievance Redressal Mechanism: Grievance redressal mechanism at the District and State levels. States have the flexibility to use the existing machinery or set up separate mechanism.
- x. Cost  of  intra-State  transportation  &  handling  of  foodgrains  and  FPS  Dealers'  margin:  Central Government  will  provide  assistance  to  States  in  meeting  the  expenditure  incurred  by  them  on transportation of foodgrains within the State, its handling and FPS dealers' margin as per norms to be devised for this purpose.
- xi. Transparency and Accountability: Provisions have been made for disclosure of records relating to PDS,  social  audits  and  setting  up  of  Vigilance  Committees  in  order  to  ensure  transparency  and accountability.
- xii. Food Security Allowance: Provision for food security allowance to entitled beneficiaries in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals.
- xiii. Penalty:  Provision  for  penalty  on  public  servant  or  authority,  to  be  imposed  by  the  State  Food Commission, in case of failure to comply with the relief recommended by the District Grievance Redressal Officer.

****

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2662 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 02.08.2016 IN LOK SABHA

Number of Persons covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA)

(As on 26.07.2016)

| Sl No.   | States/ UTs          |   Number of persons being covered under NFSA (in lakh) |
|----------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh       |                                               268.21   |
| 2.       | Arunachal Pradesh    |                                                 8.21   |
| 3.       | Assam                |                                               251.35   |
| 4.       | Bihar                |                                               857.12   |
| 5.       | Chhattisgarh         |                                               200.77   |
| 6.       | Delhi                |                                                72.73   |
| 7.       | Goa                  |                                                 5.2    |
| 8.       | Gujarat              |                                               338.47   |
| 9.       | Haryana              |                                               126.49   |
| 10.      | Himachal Pradesh     |                                                27.74   |
| 11.      | Jammu & Kashmir      |                                                74.13   |
| 12.      | Jharkhand            |                                               259.41   |
| 13.      | Karnataka            |                                               401.93   |
| 14.      | Madhya Pradesh       |                                               529.61   |
| 15.      | Maharashtra          |                                               700.17   |
| 16.      | Manipur              |                                                21.19   |
| 17.      | Meghalaya            |                                                21.4    |
| 18.      | Mizoram              |                                                 6.67   |
| 19.      | Nagaland             |                                                 4.33   |
| 20.      | Odisha               |                                               318.92   |
| 21.      | Punjab               |                                               141.45   |
| 22.      | Rajasthan            |                                               446.62   |
| 23.      | Sikkim               |                                                 3.77   |
| 24.      | Telangana            |                                               191.62   |
| 25.      | Tripura              |                                                25.01   |
| 26.      | Uttar Pradesh        |                                              1436.07   |
| 27.      | Uttarakhand          |                                                61.94   |
| 28.      | West Bengal          |                                               552.33   |
| 29.      | A&N Islands          |                                                 0.55   |
| 30.      | Daman & Diu          |                                                 1.0246 |
| 31.      | Dadra & Nagar Haveli |                                                 1.82   |
| 32.      | Lakshadweep          |                                                 0.22   |
| 33.      | Chandigarh           |                                                 2.1    |
| 34.      | Puducherry           |                                                 5.82   |
|          | Total                |                                              7364.4    |

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2662 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 02.08.2016 IN LOK SABHA

## STATE/UT-WISE  DETAILS  OF  ALLOCATION  OF  FOODGRAINS  UNDER  THE  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM/NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT

(In thousand tons)

| Sl. No   | STATES/UTs         | 2014-15   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2015-16   | 2016-17 (Up to June,16)   | 2016-17 (Up to June,16)   |
|----------|--------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| Sl. No   | STATES/UTs         | Rice      | Wheat*    | Rice      | Wheat*    | Rice                      | Wheat*                    |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh     | 2472.473  | 157.320   | 1953.871  | 156.383   | 433.332                   | 34.629                    |
| 2        | Arunanchal Pradesh | 101.556   | 0.000     | 101.556   | 0.000     | 22.248                    | 0.000                     |
| 3        | Assam              | 1511.175  | 378.919   | 1429.260  | 382.664   | 390.699                   | 24.816                    |
| 4        | Bihar              | 2948.940  | 1965.960  | 3144.764  | 2096.511  | 824.079                   | 549.387                   |
| 5        | Chhatisgarh        | 1337.466  | 0.000     | 1384.056  | 0.000     | 346.014                   | 0.000                     |
| 6        | Delhi              | 81.467    | 275.226   | 87.669    | 336.831   | 23.182                    | 89.260                    |
| 7        | Goa                | 55.933    | 7.215     | 52.436    | 9.256     | 12.537                    | 2.214                     |
| 8        | Gujarat            | 627.728   | 1460.067  | 326.376   | 1758.732  | 82.512                    | 444.726                   |
| 9        | Haryana            | 0.000     | 795.000   | 0.000     | 795.000   | 0.000                     | 198.750                   |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh   | 184.092   | 323.904   | 184.092   | 323.904   | 46.091                    | 80.910                    |
| 11       | Jammu & Kashmir    | 533.172   | 223.632   | 532.500   | 223.352   | 132.285                   | 55.485                    |
| 12       | Jharkhand          | 1227.007  | 132.435   | 1283.460  | 176.688   | 346.213                   | 44.199                    |
| 13       | Karnataka          | 2422.132  | 120.525   | 2032.403  | 576.433   | 495.000                   | 157.209                   |
| 14       | Kerala             | 1234.322  | 240.027   | 1187.220  | 285.468   | 250.431                   | 56.220                    |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh     | 763.298   | 2430.949  | 847.506   | 2542.509  | 217.002                   | 651.006                   |
| 16       | Maharashtra        | 1986.999  | 2540.493  | 2021.100  | 2584.092  | 505.275                   | 646.023                   |
| 17       | Manipur            | 153.154   | 18.225    | 137.868   | 33.084    | 35.391                    | 0.000                     |
| 18       | Meghalaya          | 169.181   | 19.677    | 159.558   | 26.926    | 36.843                    | 7.158                     |
| 19       | Mizoram            | 62.652    | 7.488     | 62.325    | 7.449     | 14.684                    | 1.755                     |
| 20       | Nagaland           | 99.716    | 27.160    | 94.284    | 32.592    | 23.571                    | 8.148                     |
| 21       | Odisha             | 1844.936  | 348.045   | 1655.354  | 444.585   | 413.803                   | 96.759                    |
| 22       | Punjab             | 0.000     | 870.120   | 0.000     | 870.120   | 0.000                     | 217.530                   |
| 23       | Rajasthan          | 0.000     | 2791.572  | 0.000     | 2791.572  | 0.000                     | 697.893                   |
| 24       | Sikkim             | 41.340    | 2.943     | 41.172    | 3.120     | 10.176                    | 0.906                     |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu         | 3557.436  | 165.396   | 3557.436  | 165.396   | 889.359                   | 41.349                    |
| 26       | Telangana          | 1138.113  | 58.332    | 1356.996  | 108.684   | 309.696                   | 24.804                    |
| 27       | Tripura            | 275.157   | 28.092    | 257.945   | 26.486    | 60.683                    | 7.068                     |
| 28       | Uttar Pradesh      | 3423.076  | 3851.697  | 2819.643  | 4652.720  | 851.631                   | 1423.025                  |
| 29       | Uttrakhand         | 246.844   | 265.803   | 232.632   | 274.860   | 70.602                    | 55.146                    |
| 30       | West Bengal        | 1824.004  | 2036.967  | 1400.883  | 2218.113  | 335.211                   | 568.077                   |
| 31       | A&N Islands        | 23.205    | 10.815    | 22.835    | 10.814    | 4.946                     | 2.445                     |
| 32       | Chandigarh         | 5.239     | 25.973    | 2.460     | 10.545    | 0.000                     | 0.000                     |
| 33       | D&N Haveli         | 9.702     | 0.768     | 9.475     | 0.866     | 2.055                     | 0.189                     |
| 34       | Daman & Diu        | 3.396     | 2.265     | 2.741     | 3.051     | 0.712                     | 0.793                     |
| 35       | Lakshadweep        | 4.620     | 0.000     | 4.620     | 0.000     | 1.155                     | 0.000                     |
| 36       | Puducherry         | 50.922    | 9.450     | 19.880    | 5.250     | 0.000                     | 0.000                     |
|          | TOTAL              | 30420.453 | 21592.460 | 28406.376 | 23934.056 | 7187.418                  | 6187.879                  |

***

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2662 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 02.08.2016 IN LOK SABHA

## STATE/UT-WISE  DETAILS  OF  SPECIAL  ADHOC  ADDITIONAL  ALLOCATION  OF FOODGRAINS  UNDER THE PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

(In thousand tons)

| S. No.   | STATES/UTs         | 2014-15   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2015-16   | 2016-17 (Up to June,16)   | 2016-17 (Up to June,16)   |
|----------|--------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| S. No.   | STATES/UTs         | Rice      | Wheat*    | Rice      | Wheat*    | Rice                      | Wheat*                    |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh     | 209.009   | 7.788     | 109.024   | 12.112    |                           |                           |
| 2        | Arunanchal Pradesh | 7.307     | 0.396     | 6.012     | 1.584     |                           |                           |
| 3        | Assam              | 142.828   | 0         | 93.864    |           |                           |                           |
| 4        | Bihar              | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 5        | Chhatisgarh        | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 6        | Delhi              | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 7        | Goa                | 3.641     | 0.093     | 2.208     | 0.248     |                           |                           |
| 8        | Gujarat            | 135.83    | 29.088    | 46.212    | 116.352   |                           |                           |
| 9        | Haryana            | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh   | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 11       | Jammu & Kashmir    | 52.675    | 4.569     | 31.8      | 15.23     |                           |                           |
| 12       | Jharkhand          | 181.647   | 4.59      | 82.614    | 9.18      |                           |                           |
| 13       | Karnataka          | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 14       | Kerala             | 112.343   | 8.547     | 84.984    | 34.188    | 23.694                    | 3.064                     |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh     | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 16       | Maharashtra        | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 17       | Manipur            | 12.512    | 0.402     | 11.124    | 1.608     |                           |                           |
| 18       | Meghalaya          | 13.887    | 0.351     | 10.53     | 1.17      |                           |                           |
| 19       | Mizoram            | 5.159     | 0.129     | 4.301     | 0.473     |                           |                           |
| 20       | Nagaland           | 8.995     | 0.651     | 6.9       | 2.604     | 0.651                     | 0.651                     |
| 21       | Odisha             | 250.237   | 6.324     | 145.993   | 16.225    |                           |                           |
| 22       | Punjab             | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 23       | Rajasthan          | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 24       | Sikkim             | 3.262     | 0.084     | 2.47      | 0.28      |                           |                           |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu         | 368.982   | 9.324     | 335.628   | 37.296    | 9.324                     | 4.892                     |
| 26       | Telangana          | 99.273    |           | 58.44     | 6.492     |                           |                           |
| 27       | Tripura            | 22.384    | 0.567     | 8.485     | 0.945     |                           |                           |
| 28       | Uttar Pradesh      | 748.864   | 81.843    | 450.549   | 300.091   |                           |                           |
| 29       | Uttrakhand         | 34.059    | 4.677     | 9.738     | 9.354     |                           |                           |
| 30       | West Bengal        | 358.615   | 44.274    | 167.442   | 141.007   |                           |                           |
| 31       | A&N Islands        | 2.057     | 0.12      | 1.529     | 0.44      |                           |                           |
| 32       | Chandigarh         | 0         | 0         |           |           |                           |                           |
| 33       | D&N Haveli         | 1.35      | 0.054     | 1.078     | 0.198     |                           |                           |
| 34       | Daman & Diu        | 0.2591    | 0.012     | 0.126     | 0.028     |                           |                           |
| 35       | Lakshadweep        | 0.227     | 0.006     | 0.102     | 0.012     |                           |                           |
| 36       | Puducherry         | 6.374     | 0.162     | 2.415     | 0.27      |                           |                           |
|          | GRAND TOTAL        | 2781.7761 | 204.051   | 1673.568  | 707.387   | 33.669                    | 8.607                     |

****