Lok Sabha Question No. 2756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Linkage with AADHAAR
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: RAJENDRA AGRAWAL, NAGARAJAN P., ASADUDDIN OWAISI, PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH, BHOLA SINGH, KALIKESH NARAYAN SINGH DEO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2756

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th   MAY, 2016

LINKAGE WITH AADHAAR

2756.

SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

SHRI P. NAGARAJAN:

SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

DR. PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI KALIKESH N. SINGH DEO:

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 States where the Public Distribution System (PDS) has already been linked to AADHAAR along with the details of beneficiaries covered in each of the States;
- (b)   whether  lack  of  AADHAAR  number/card,  poor  network  connectivity,  incorrect reading  of  credentials  by  AADHAAR  machines  are  acting  as  impediment  in  smooth distribution of foodgrains and other items through PDS, if so, the details thereof and the  steps  proposed,  including  creation  of  appropriate  infrastructure  to  rectify  these errors;
- (c)   whether  the  Government  proposes  to  set  up  block  level  grievances  redress mechanism to ensure speedy resolution of the problems and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)   whether the Government proposes to revert back to providing manual option at rural level to ensure easier access to foodgrains and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

(a)& (b): Aadhaar based biometric authentication is not mandatory for receiving food grains under Public Distribution System. States/UTs have been advised to ensure that no beneficiary is denied benefits for not getting the Aadhaar, if entitled. However, for de-duplication  of  ration  cards  database  and  elimination  of  bogus  cards,  State Governments/UT Administrations have been requested to seed Aadhaar number in the digitized  database.  At  present,  13.05  crore  ration  cards  have  been  seeded  with Aadhaar, as per State/UT-wise details at Annexure.

(c):   For  registration  of  grievances,  States/UTs  have  been  asked  to  provide  online facility and  to set up four digit common toll free helpline number 1967 as well as 1800 series  toll-free  number.  The  online  grievance  redressal  mechanism/Toll-free  helpline numbers are operational in all States/UTs and it covers the registration and redressal of grievances under Public distribution System at all levels.

(d):  As  stated  above,  Aadhaar  based  biometric  authentication  is  not  mandatory  for receiving food grains under Public Distribution System.

****

## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2756 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 10.05.2016 IN LOK SABHA

## STATEMENT INDICATING THE STATE/UT WISE TOTAL NO. OF RATION CARDS SEEDED WITH AADHAAR

| Sl.   | States/UTs          | No. of Ration Cards seeded with Aadhaar   |
|-------|---------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh      | 92,03,422                                 |
| 2     | Chandigarh (DBT)    | 55,959                                    |
| 3     | Chhattisgarh        | 50,90,000                                 |
| 4     | Andaman &Nicobar    | 13,370                                    |
| 5     | Telangana           | 48,41,673                                 |
| 6     | Rajasthan           | 96,34,446                                 |
| 7     | Goa                 | 1,24,193                                  |
| 8     | Himachal Pradesh    | 7,58,548                                  |
| 9     | Kerala              | 78,74,302                                 |
| 10    | Puducherry (DBT)    | 1,75,979                                  |
| 11    | Delhi               | 18,24,399                                 |
| 12    | Punjab              | 25,66,966                                 |
| 13    | Tripura             | 5,26,606                                  |
| 14    | Daman &Diu          | 22,278                                    |
| 15    | Maharashtra         | 1,29,11,973                               |
| 16    | Haryana             | 25,35,165                                 |
| 17    | Lakshadweep         | 3,927                                     |
| 18    | Jharkhand           | 38,89,498                                 |
| 19    | Gujarat             | 45,00,000                                 |
| 20    | Sikkim              | 66,954                                    |
| 21    | Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 23,616                                    |
| 22    | Odisha              | 55,73,473                                 |
| 23    | Jammu and Kashmir   | 9,23,365                                  |
| 24    | West Bengal         | 3,21,00,000                               |
| 25    | Madhya Pradesh      | 62,14,273                                 |
| 26    | Karnataka           | 54,84,172                                 |
| 27    | Uttarakhand         | 6,57,751                                  |
| 28    | Uttar Pradesh       | 1,21,59,661                               |
| 29    | Tamil Nadu          | 8,09,402                                  |
| 30    | Bihar               | 9,000                                     |
| 31    | Assam               | 0                                         |
| 32    | Arunachal Pradesh   | 2,776                                     |
| 33    | Mizoram             | 624                                       |
| 34    | Nagaland            | 1,157                                     |
| 35    | Manipur             | 1,891                                     |
| 36    | Meghalaya           | 0                                         |
|       | Total               | 13,05,80,819                              |