Lok Sabha Question No. 6175 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: BPL and APL
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6175

## TO BE ANSWERED ON IsT APRIL, 2026

BPL AND APL

## 6175. SHRI BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAGARE:

Will  the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) : whether the Government  has assessed the percentage of population living  Below Poverty Line (BPL) in various parts of Maharashtra particularly in backward rural and tribal districts and the total number of people living  below poverty line in the State;
- (b): whether prices of foodgrains and other essential commodities at Fair Price Shops for families living Above Poverty Line (APL) in Maharashtra are equal to or higher than open market prices;
- (c): whether the Government has taken or proposes to take steps to reduce the prices of foodgrains, sugar, kerosene and pulses for  BPL and APL  families  under the Public Distribution System ;
- (d): if  so, the details of these measures, their  current status and expected timeline  of implementation; and
- (e): the steps being taken by the Government  to ensure timely  distribution, prevent leakage and improve monitoring of PDS operations in tribal and backward districts of Maharashtra?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI  NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The Public Distribution System (PDS) is now governed as per the provisions of  the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013, which provides for coverage of 76.32% of the rural and 45.34% of  the urban population  in the State of Maharashtra, for  receiving  free of cost foodgrains, which at Census 2011 comes to 700.17 lakh persons. Identification  of beneficiaries under the Act is under two  categories - Antyodaya  Anna  Yojana  (AAY) and priority  households (PHH).  There is no Above Poverty Line (APL) or Below Poverty Line (BPL) category under the Act.
- (b) to (d): Under the Act,  the Government  is already distributing  free of cost foodgrains  to eligible beneficiaries identified by the State Government.  The term foodgrains is defined as rice, wheat or coarse grains or any combination thereof conforming to such quality norms as may be determined, by order, by the Central  Government from time to time. There is no provision for distribution of sugar, kerosene and pulses under the Act.
- (e): in  order to improve the monitoring, ensure timely distribution and prevent  leakage, the Government has taken following steps for  modernization of  Public  Distribution  System in  all States/UTs (including State of Maharashtra) are as follows -
- (i)  Ration cards/beneficiary's database have been completely digitized  (100%) in all  States/UTs. 99.79/b of  ration cards have been Aadhar seeded.
- (ii)  The transparency  portal and online  grievance redressal facility/Toll-free number have been implemented  in all States/UTs.
- (iii)  Online allocation has been implemented in  all  States/UTs and supply chain has been computerized in 31 States/UTs (except UTs ofChandigarh,  Puducherry and Urban area of Dadra & Nagar Haveli which have adopted DBT Cash Transfer scheme).
- (iv)  The nationwide  portability  of  ration cards, popularly  known as One Nation  One Ration Card (ONORC) has been implemented in all 36 States/UTs, covering all Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)  beneficiaries. As on date, more than 207 Crore portability  transactions have been recorded under ONORC.
- (v) More than 5.50 Lakh (99.8%) out of total 5.51 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by installing  ePoS devices for the distribution  offoodgrains through Aadhaar biometric authentication of beneficiaries

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