Lok Sabha Question No. 61 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-01
Subject: National Food Security Act
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: ASADUDDIN OWAISI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 61

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 01 ST  MARCH, 2016

## NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT *61. SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

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  several  State  Governments  have  expressed  difficulties  in implementing the National Food Security Act;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  of  such  State  Governments  and  response  of  the Union Government thereto;
- (c)  whether  the  Union  Government has convened a meeting of all the drought affected States in this regard;
- (d)  if  so,  the  outcome  thereof  along  with  assistance  provided  by  the Union Government to drought affected States; and
- (e) whether the Supreme Court has directed the Union Government to ensure  supply  of  free  foodgrains  to  drought  affected  States  and  also implement welfare schemes as per Centre's Drought Manual and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

A N S W E R (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

- (a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  of  STARRED QUESTION NO. 61 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 01-03-2016 IN THE LOK SABHA

- (a) to (b): 28  States  and  Union  Territories  have  begun  implementing  the National  Food  Security  Act  based  on  preparedness  and  identification  of eligible  beneficiaries.  The  remaining  States/UTs  are  at  various  Stages  of preparatory  activities  for  implementation  of  the  Act.  The  list  of  States/UTs implementing the NFSA is at Annexure A.
- (c) to (d) :  A  Writ  Petition  (Civil)  No.  857  of  2015  was  filed  on  14.12.2015 before  the  Supreme  Court  by  Petitioner  Swaraj  Abhiyan.  The  petitioner petitioned the Court for issuing the direction which inter-alia include providing necessary relief and compensation for the drought affected States, implementation  of  National  Food  Security  Act,  2013  and  generation  of adequate employment under MGNREGA. As per the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, vide its order dated 18.01.2016 in this Writ Petition, meeting was convened by Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare with concerned Central Government Ministries and the States on 25 th  and 27 th January, 2016 respectively. Based on the information received from concerned Ministries/ Departments and State Governments, an Affidavit was filed in Hon'ble Supreme Court on 10 February, 2016. The case last came up for hearing on 12.02.2016 and Hon'ble Supreme Court has directed for listing the  matter  for  final  disposal  after  three  weeks.  The  matter  is  presently subjudice.

Government has decided under section 3(4) of MGNREGA, to provide up to  50  days  of  additional  employment  (over  and  above  100  days),  in  notified drought affected blocks in the financial year 2015-16.

In  addition  the  following  interventions  have  been  approved  in  order  to save standing Kharif crops affected due to drought and deficit rainfall during Kharif 2015.

1. Implementation  of  Diesel  Subsidy  Scheme  for  protective  irrigation  of crops with an allocation of Rs 100 crore.
2. Enhancement of extant ceiling on seed subsidy by 50% for distribution in drought notified districts.

3. Implementation  of  intervention  on  perennial  horticulture  crops  with  an additional  allocation  of  Rs.  150  crore  under  Mission  for  Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
4. Implementation of Additional Fodder Development Programme (AFDP) as a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore.

On the  request  of  State/UT,  the  Government  of  India  makes  additional allocation of foodgrains for those affected by natural calamities at MSP and MSP derived prices for wheat and rice respectively applicable for the relevant marketing season. During the current year, only Maharashtra Government has requested  for  additional  allocation  of  foodgrains  for  the  drought  affected people  in  the  State.  Based  on  the  request  of  the  State  Government  this Department has made an allocation of 1.63 lakh tons of rice and 2.44 lakh tons of wheat to the State Government as per the existing policy.

- (e)  The matter is presently subjudice in Supreme Court.

****

Annexure A

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  &  (b)  of  STARRED QUESTION NO. 61 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 01-03-2016 IN THE LOK SABHA

|   States/ UTs implementing NFSA | States/ UTs implementing NFSA   |
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|                               1 | Haryana                         |
|                               2 | Rajasthan                       |
|                               3 | Delhi                           |
|                               4 | Himachal Pradesh                |
|                               5 | Punjab                          |
|                               6 | Karnataka                       |
|                               7 | Chhattisgarh                    |
|                               8 | Maharashtra                     |
|                               9 | Chandigarh (In DBT mode)        |
|                              10 | Madhya Pradesh                  |
|                              11 | Bihar                           |
|                              12 | West Bengal                     |
|                              13 | Lakshadweep                     |
|                              14 | Tripura                         |
|                              15 | Puducherry (In DBT mode)        |
|                              16 | Uttarakhand                     |
|                              17 | Jharkhand                       |
|                              18 | Telangana                       |
|                              19 | Daman & Diu                     |
|                              20 | Odisha                          |
|                              21 | Assam                           |
|                              22 | Goa                             |
|                              23 | Andhra Pradesh                  |
|                              24 | Sikkim                          |
|                              25 | Uttar Pradesh                   |
|                              26 | Meghalaya                       |
|                              27 | A & N Islands                   |
|                              28 | Jammu & Kashmir                 |