Lok Sabha Question No. 2662 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Implementation of NFSA
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: G. HARI, RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY, V. SATHYABAMA, SRINIVAS KESINENI, RAJENDRA AGRAWAL

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2662 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH   DECEMBER, 2015

## IMPLEMENTATION OF NFSA

2662.

SHRI G. HARI:

SHRI MULLAPPALLY

RAMACHANDRAN:

SHRIMATI V. SATHYA BAMA:

SHRI KESINENI NANI:

SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

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  present  status  of  implementation  of  the  National  Food  Security Act (NFSA);
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  further  extended  the  deadline  for implementation of NFSA on the request of some States;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  indicating  the names of  the  States  where  the  scheme  is  yet  to  be  implemented  along with  the  quantum  of  foodgrains  and  funds  allocated  under  the  scheme during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
- (d) the  total  coverage  of  NFSA  along  with  the  number  of  beneficiaries identified, issued cards and those having bank accounts; and
- (e) the  monitoring  mechanism put in place to check diversion of funds and foodgrains to ensure effective implementation of the Act?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

(a): 24  States/Union  Territories  (UTs)  are  presently  implementing  the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) and foodgrains under the Act are being allocated to them based on the preparedness and identification of beneficiaries reported by them.

(b): No, Madam.

(c): 12 States/ UTs viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra  and  Nagar  Haveli,  Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Gujarat,  Kerala,  Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, have not completed the preparatory measures required for implementation of NFSA and  foodgrains  allocation  under  erstwhile  Targeted  Public  Distribution System  (TPDS)  is  continuing  there.  State-wise  details  of  foodgrains allocated under NFSA to the 24 States/UTs implementing the Act, during the years 2013-14, 2014-15 and current year (2015-16) are at Annexure. Expenditure on subsidy involved in allocation of foodgrains under NFSA as well  as  erstwhile  TPDS  is  met  out  of  budgetary  allocation  for  food subsidy.  The expenditure on food subsidy during the last two years and current year is as follows:

| Year                       | Expenditure (Rs. in crore)   |
|----------------------------|------------------------------|
| 2013-14                    | 89,740.02                    |
| 2014-15                    | 1,13,171.16                  |
| 2015-16 (as on 10.12.2015) | 1,03,916.68                  |

(d): Total coverage in the country for receiving foodgrains at subsidized prices  under  NFSA is  about  81.35  crore  persons.  The  entitlement  under the Act is on per person basis for persons belonging to priority households  and  on  household  basis  for  Antyodaya  Anna  Yojana  (AAY) households.  In  the  24  States/UTs  implementing  NFSA,  about  1.46  crore AAY households and 43.95 crore persons belonging to priority households are  reported  identified  and  covered  under  the  Act.  Details  of  bank accounts of beneficiaries are not required for distribution of foodgrains to them  under  the  Act.  Presently,  UTs  of  Chandigarh  and  Puducherry  are implementing  NFSA  in  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)  mode  where  funds are being transferred in the beneficiaries' bank accounts directly. About 1.93 lakh ration cards have linked bank accounts in these two UTs.

...3/-

(e): NFSA  contains  provisions  for  setting  up  of  Grievance  redressal mechanism  at  the  District  and  State  levels  viz.,  District  Grievance Redressal Officer for each District for expeditious and effective redressal of  grievances  and  to  enforce  the  entitlements  under  the  Act  and  State Food Commission for monitoring and review of implementation of the Act. Main  responsibility  for  implementation  of  the  Act,  which  inter  alia includes  identification  of  eligible  households,  issuing  ration  cards  to them,  distribution  of  foodgrains'  entitlements  to  eligible  households through fair price shops, setting up effective grievance redressal mechanism,  necessary strengthening of TPDS, rests with State/UT Governments.

A  Nine  Point  Action  Plan  for  curbing  the  leakages/diversion  of foodgrains under TPDS was evolved in July, 2006 in consultation with the State/UT Governments for implementation by all States/UTs.  Further, for maintaining supplies and securing availability and distribution of essential commodities,  under  PDS,  in  exercise  of  the  powers  conferred  under Section  3  of  the  Essential  Commodities  Act,  1955,  the  Department  has notified the Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2001 on 31.08.2001.  In order to bring the PDS (Control) Order, 2001 in consonance with NFSA, TPDS (Control) Order, 2015 has been notified on 20.03.2015.

In a continuous endeavour to strengthen and streamline TPDS, the Government has initiated implementation of a plan scheme on 'End-to-end Computerisation of TPDS Operations' during the 12 th  Five Year Plan (201217)  to  ensure  transparency  and  check  leakages  in  the  TPDS.    To  curb leakages further, under the NFSA inter alia, States/UTs have been asked to either do cash transfer of food subsidy under DBT or install electronic Point of Sale Device (ePoS) at the Fair Price Shops (FPSs).

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2662 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 15.12.2015 IN THE LOK SABHA

ALLOCATION OF FOODGRAINS UNDER NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT, 2013

| S. No.   | STATE/UT         | FOODGRAINS ALLOCATED (IN THOUSAND TONS)   | FOODGRAINS ALLOCATED (IN THOUSAND TONS)   | FOODGRAINS ALLOCATED (IN THOUSAND TONS)   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | STATE/UT         | 2013-14                                   | 2014-15                                   | 2015-16*                                  |
| 1        | BIHAR            | 409.58                                    | 4914.90                                   | 5241.27                                   |
| 2        | CHHATTISGARH     | 322.72                                    | 1337.47                                   | 1384.06                                   |
| 3        | DELHI            | 255.43                                    | 370.41                                    | 424.79                                    |
| 4        | HARYANA          | 317.50                                    | 795.00                                    | 795.00                                    |
| 5        | HIMACHAL PRADESH | 254.00                                    | 508.00                                    | 508.00                                    |
| 6        | KARNATAKA        | 619.09                                    | 2542.66                                   | 2608.84                                   |
| 7        | MADHYA PRADESH   | 234.54                                    | 3196.00                                   | 3362.68                                   |
| 8        | MAHARASHTRA      | 750.27                                    | 4527.50                                   | 4605.19                                   |
| 9        | PUNJAB           | 229.06                                    | 870.12                                    | 870.12                                    |
| 10       | RAJASTHAN        | 1395.79                                   | 2791.57                                   | 2791.57                                   |
| 11       | CHANDIGARH       | 5.20                                      | 31.21                                     | 13.01                                     |
| 12       | ANDHRA PRADESH   | -                                         | -                                         | 623.95                                    |
| 13       | ASSAM            | -                                         | -                                         | 554.02                                    |
| 14       | GOA              | -                                         | -                                         | 19.67                                     |
| 15       | JHARKHAND        | -                                         | -                                         | 780.82                                    |
| 16       | ODISHA           | -                                         | -                                         | 688.68                                    |
| 17       | TELANGANA        | -                                         | -                                         | 669.00                                    |
| 18       | TRIPURA          | -                                         | -                                         | 158.08                                    |
| 19       | UTTARAKHAND      | -                                         | -                                         | 251.50                                    |
| 20       | WEST BENGAL      | -                                         | -                                         | 813.44                                    |
| 21       | DAMAN &DIU       | -                                         | -                                         | 2.49                                      |
| 22       | LAKSHADWEEP      | -                                         | -                                         | 3.08                                      |
| 23       | PUDDUCHERRY      | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         |
| 24       | SIKKIM           | -                                         | -                                         | 0.11                                      |
|          | Total            | 4793.17                                   | 21884.83                                  | 27180.34                                  |

Note: Chandigarh and Puducherry are implementing NFSA in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode w.e.f. September, 2015.

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