Lok Sabha Question No. 3804 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-22
Subject: Distribution of Food
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: MAMTAZ SANGHAMITA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3804

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND    DECEMBER, 2015

## DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD

3804. DR. MAMTAZ SANGHAMITA:

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  has  formulated  any  schemes  regarding, procurement and distribution of foodgrains, pulses and oil seeds/edible oils to the poor in the country;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  role  played  by  the  Union Government therein;
- (c) whether there is any policy regarding export of surplus stocks held by the Government; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

- (a)  &  (b):  There  is  a  Uniform  Policy  for  procurement  by  Government Agencies across the country. Under this policy,  whatever foodgrains are offered by farmers, within the stipulated period and which conform to the specifications prescribed by Government  of  India are purchased  at Minimum Support Price (MSP) by the Government agencies including Food Corporation of India (FCI) for central pool. However, if any producer/farmer gets better price in comparison to MSP, he is free to sell his produce in Open  market  i.e.  to  private  trader/  anyone.  Government  of  India  (GOI) declares MSP for each season to incentivize the farmers.

As decided by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW),  the Government  agencies including FCI is also procuring  pulses  and  oil  seeds  at  market  price  under  Price  Stabilisation Fund  (PSF)  operation  during  Kharif  Marketing  Season  (KMS)  2015-16  for maintaining their buffer stock. The DAC&FW has released Rs. 50 Crores for such procurement. It has also been decided that if market prices of pulses fall below the MSP, FCI shall procure pulses at MSP from the farmers under the Price Support Scheme of the DAC&FW.

Govt.  of  India  through  its  various  schemes  viz.  Targeted  Public Distribution System (TPDS) {Above Poverty Line (APL), Below Poverty Line (BPL), Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)}, Mid-Day Meal, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for  empowerment  of  adolescent  girls  (RGSEAG)  i.e.  SABLA,  Nutrition Programme, Hostels & Welfare Institutions etc. has been making allotment of  foodgrains  to  all  the  States/UTs  at  subsidized  central  issue  prices  to provide foodgrains as such or processed items to the targeted beneficiaries, who are largely belonging to BPL families, to cater to their food requirement.  To further enlarge the coverage of TPDS, the GOI has implemented National Food Security Act (NFSA) in July 2013 and by now 25  States  have  been  covered  under  NFSA.  Under  NFSA,  the  identified beneficiaries relating to priority group, which are mainly from BPL and AAY families,  are  issued  rice,  wheat,  and  coarse  grains  at  a  very  highly subsidized rate of Rs.3/2/1 per kg respectively.

Central  Government  does  not  have  any  scheme  for  distribution  of pulses and oilseeds/edible oil to the poor in the country.  However, some State/UT Governments are selling pulses and/or edible oil as non PDS items through their Fair Price Shops.

(c) & (d):   Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in its decision dated 16.01.2015 approved that the stock of foodgrains in excess of the revised  buffer  norms  might  be  offloaded  through  open  sale  in  domestic market  or  through  export.  A  committee  was  constituted  consisting  of Secretary, F&PD, Secretary, Expenditure and Secretary Consumer Affairs to  recommend  the  quantity  and  the  price  for  this  purpose.  However,  at present, there is no such proposal for export of wheat or rice from Central Pool.

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