Lok Sabha Question No. 1461 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Food Scams
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: P.P. CHAUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1461 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08 th  DECEMBER, 2015 FOOD SCAMS

## 1461. SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

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 scams  involving public Distribution System foodgrains including wheat have been reported from different States during the last three years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken in this regard indicating the number of cases reported, State-wise;
- (c) whether the employees/officers held responsible for the said scams/irregularities  continue  to  serve  in  the  department  despite  the enquiry  pending  against  them,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons therefor; and
- (d) whether the Government is contemplating to give voluntary retirement to such employees/officers to post them in other departments and if so, the details thereof?

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

(a) to (d): There have been reports about irregularities in implementation of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in certain regions/States in  the  country.  TPDS  is  operated  under  the  joint  responsibility  of  the Central and the State/Union Territory (UT) Governments wherein operational responsibilities for allocation of foodgrains within the States/UTs,  identification  of  eligible  beneficiaries,  issuance  of  ration cards to them and supervision over and monitoring of functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs), etc. rest with the concerned State/UT Governments. Therefore, as and when complaints are received by the Government from individuals and organizations as well as through press reports, they are sent  to  State/UT  Governments  concerned  for  inquiry  and  appropriate action. A statement indicating State-wise number of complaints on TPDS received in the department from 2012 to 2015 (upto October, 2015) is at Annex-I.

The  Public  Distribution  System  (Control)  Order,  2001  notified  on 31.08.2001 mandates the State/UT Governments to carry out all required action to ensure smooth functioning of TPDS.  Under the said Order, the State/UT  Governments  are  responsible  for  implementing  TPDS  and  are competent  to  take  action  against  those  indulging  in  malpractices  in TPDS by invoking provisions of clauses 8 & 9 of the said Order. The PDS (C)  Order,  2001  has  been  superseded  by  the  TPDS  (C)  Order,  2015 notified on 20.03.2015 in consonance with NFSA, 2013.  The provisions of the PDS (C) Order, 2001 shall be effective in States/UTs which have not  implemented  the  NFSA  or  are  implementing  it  only  in  part.    An offence committed in violation of the provisions of these Orders is liable for penal action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Thus, both the  Orders  empower  State/UT  Governments  to  take  punitive  action  in wise  details  regarding  action  taken  under  clauses  8  &  9  of  the  PDS (Control) Order, 2001 during the last three years and current year is at case of contravention of relevant provisions of these Orders.  State/UTAnnex -II.

As already mentioned, the operational responsibilities of implementation  of  TPDS  within  the  State  including  action  to  be  taken against the defaulters including the State Government officials/officers rest with the concerned State/UT Government. Therefore, the information/details  of  employees  /  officers  continuing  to  serve  in  the State Government Departments despite enquiries pending against them, contemplation  of  giving  voluntary  retirements  to  them  etc.,  is  not maintained in this Department.

***

## ANNEXURE-I

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (d)  OF  THE UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1461  DUE  FOR  ANSWER  ON  08.12.2015  IN THE LOK SABHA

STATEMENT:   COMPLAINTS ON TPDS RECEIVED  IN THE DEPARTMENT FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANISATIONS & THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS ETC FROM 2012 TO 2015 (upto 30.10.2015)

| S. No.   | State/UT          | 2012   | 2013   | 2014   | 2015   |
|----------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | -      | 3      | 4      | 7      |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | -      | -      | 1      | 1      |
| 3        | Assam             | 1      | -      | 5      | 31     |
| 4        | Bihar             | 14     | 32     | 55     | 98     |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 1      | 3      | 3      | 6      |
| 6        | Delhi             | 22     | 37     | 78     | 99     |
| 7        | Goa               | -      | -      | -      | -      |
| 8        | Gujarat           | 3      | 4      | 16     | 8      |
| 9        | Haryana           | 5      | 11     | 26     | 28     |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh  | -      | -      | -      | 4      |
| 11       | J&K               | 3      | -      | -      | 4      |
| 12       | Jharkhand         | 4      | 8      | 16     | 28     |
| 13       | Karnataka         | 2      | 6      | 6      | 13     |
| 14       | Kerala            | 4      | 1      | 1      | 14     |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh    | 6      | 17     | 7      | 17     |
| 16       | Maharashtra       | 9      | 20     | 25     | 40     |
| 17       | Manipur           | 1      | 2      | 1      | 6      |
| 18       | Meghalaya         | -      | 1      | 2      | 3      |
| 19       | Mizoram           | 1      | -      | -      | -      |
| 20       | Nagaland          | -      | -      | 3      | -      |
| 21       | Orissa            | 3      | 3      | 8      | 13     |
| 22       | Punjab            | 5      | 6      | 5      | 9      |
| 23       | Rajasthan         | 3      | 18     | 31     | 25     |
| 24       | Sikkim            | -      | 0      | -      | -      |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu        | 4      | 9      | 7      | 17     |
| 26       | Telangana         | -      | -      | -      | 10     |
| 27       | Uttarakhand       | 5      | 2      | 8      | 20     |
| 28       | Uttar Pradesh     | 72     | 92     | 137    | 152    |
| 29       | West Bengal       | 2      | 7      | 11     | 23     |
| 30       | Chandigarh        | -      | -      | 3      | 6      |
| 31       | D&NHaveli         | -      | -      | 1      | -      |
| 32       | Puducherry        | 1      | -      | -      | -      |
|          | TOTAL             | 171    | 282    | 460    | 682    |

****

## ANNEX -II

## ANNEX REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1461 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 08.12.2015 IN THE LOK SABHA

(As compiled 30.06.2015)

Statement showing results of action taken by the State/UT Governments under Clauses 8 & 9 of the PDS (Control) Order, 2001 from January 2012 to June, 2015.

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State/UT   |   Year | Number of inspections   | Number of raids conducted   | Number of persons arrested/ prosecuted/ convicted   | Number of FPS Licenses suspended/ Cancelled/ Show cause notices issued/FIR lodged   |
|-----------|------------------------|--------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh         |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh         |   2013 | 5450                    | 103                         | 00                                                  | 66                                                                                  |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh         |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh         |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh      |   2012 | 0                       | 12                          | 0                                                   | 00                                                                                  |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh      |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh      |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh      |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 3         | Assam                  |   2012 | 650                     | 258                         | 00                                                  | 32                                                                                  |
| 3         | Assam                  |   2013 | 501                     | 162                         | 00                                                  | 14                                                                                  |
| 3         | Assam                  |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 3         | Assam                  |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 4         | Bihar                  |   2012 | 73629                   | 101                         | 38                                                  | 10358                                                                               |
| 4         | Bihar                  |   2013 | 32698                   | 61                          | 4                                                   | 3984                                                                                |
| 4         | Bihar                  |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 4         | Bihar                  |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh           |   2012 | 3033                    | 253                         | 11                                                  | 104                                                                                 |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh           |   2013 | 7726                    | 792                         | 64                                                  | 244                                                                                 |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh           |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh           |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 6         | Delhi                  |   2012 | 29                      | 00                          | 00                                                  | 28                                                                                  |
| 6         | Delhi                  |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 6         | Delhi                  |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 6         | Delhi                  |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 7         | Goa                    |   2012 | 334                     | 00                          | 00                                                  | 23                                                                                  |
| 7         | Goa                    |   2013 | 403                     | 02                          | 00                                                  | 52                                                                                  |
| 7         | Goa                    |   2014 | 357                     | 27                          | 00                                                  | 57                                                                                  |
| 7         | Goa                    |   2015 | 63                      | 00                          | 00                                                  | 06                                                                                  |
| 8         | Gujarat                |   2012 | 15637                   | 00                          | 45                                                  | 209                                                                                 |
| 8         | Gujarat                |   2013 | 13911                   | 00                          | 87                                                  | 310                                                                                 |
| 8         | Gujarat                |   2014 | 8887                    | 00                          | 46                                                  | 243                                                                                 |
| 8         | Gujarat                |   2015 | 2436                    | 00                          | 07                                                  | 122                                                                                 |
| 9         | Haryana                |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 9         | Haryana                |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 9         | Haryana                |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 9         | Haryana                |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 10        | Himachal Pradesh       |   2012 | 31109                   | 00                          | 02                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
|           |                        |   2013 | 21814                   | 00                          | 02                                                  | 04                                                                                  |
|           |                        |   2014 | 9635                    | 00                          | 00                                                  | 08                                                                                  |
|           |                        |   2015 | 1389                    | 00                          | 00                                                  | 02                                                                                  |

|   Sl. No. | Name of the State/UT   |   Year | Number of inspections   | Number of raids conducted   | Number of persons arrested/ prosecuted/ convicted   | Number of FPS Licenses suspended/ Cancelled/ Show cause notices issued/FIR lodged   |
|-----------|------------------------|--------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        11 | Jammu& Kashmir         |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        11 | Jammu& Kashmir         |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        11 | Jammu& Kashmir         |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        11 | Jammu& Kashmir         |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        12 | Jharkhand              |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        12 | Jharkhand              |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        12 | Jharkhand              |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        12 | Jharkhand              |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        13 | Karnataka              |   2012 | 64484                   | 784                         | 69                                                  | 59                                                                                  |
|        13 | Karnataka              |   2013 | 71613                   | 444                         | 94                                                  | 170                                                                                 |
|        13 | Karnataka              |   2014 | 39239                   | 424                         | 196                                                 | 263                                                                                 |
|        13 | Karnataka              |   2015 | 19283                   | 243                         | 44                                                  | 147                                                                                 |
|        14 | Kerala                 |   2012 | 110840                  | 6760                        | 02                                                  | 127                                                                                 |
|        14 | Kerala                 |   2013 | 83493                   | 15683                       | 00                                                  | 139                                                                                 |
|        14 | Kerala                 |   2014 | 92638                   | 22427                       | 02                                                  | 115                                                                                 |
|        14 | Kerala                 |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        15 | Madhya Pradesh         |   2012 | 97846                   | 16910                       | 19                                                  | 2323                                                                                |
|        15 | Madhya Pradesh         |   2013 | 251262                  | 4092                        | 71                                                  | 4092                                                                                |
|        15 | Madhya Pradesh         |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        15 | Madhya Pradesh         |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        16 | Maharashtra            |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        16 | Maharashtra            |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        16 | Maharashtra            |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        16 | Maharashtra            |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        17 | Manipur                |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        17 | Manipur                |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        17 | Manipur                |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        17 | Manipur                |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        18 | Meghalaya              |   2012 | 992                     | 28                          | 00                                                  | 06                                                                                  |
|        18 | Meghalaya              |   2013 | 729                     | 26                          | 00                                                  | 03                                                                                  |
|        18 | Meghalaya              |   2014 | 681                     | 34                          | 00                                                  | 04                                                                                  |
|        18 | Meghalaya              |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        19 | Mizoram                |   2012 | 338                     | 223                         | 00                                                  | 03                                                                                  |
|        19 | Mizoram                |   2013 | 204                     | 107                         | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
|        19 | Mizoram                |   2014 | 242                     | 147                         | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
|        19 | Mizoram                |   2015 | 56                      | 33                          | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
|        20 | Nagaland               |   2012 | 69                      | 03                          | 00                                                  | 01                                                                                  |
|        20 | Nagaland               |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        20 | Nagaland               |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        20 | Nagaland               |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        21 | Odisha                 |   2012 | 00                      | 31197                       | 131                                                 | 1229                                                                                |
|        21 | Odisha                 |   2013 | 00                      | 27740                       | 80                                                  | 1229                                                                                |
|        21 | Odisha                 |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        21 | Odisha                 |   2015 |                         |                             |                                                     |                                                                                     |
|        22 | Punjab                 |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        22 | Punjab                 |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
|        22 | Punjab                 |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State/UT   |   Year | Number of inspections   | Number of raids conducted   | Number of persons arrested/ prosecuted/ convicted   | Number of FPS Licenses suspended/ Cancelled/ Show cause notices issued/FIR lodged   |
|-----------|------------------------|--------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|           |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 23        | Rajasthan              |   2012 | 00                      | 279                         | 335                                                 | 00                                                                                  |
| 23        |                        |   2013 | 00                      | 125                         | 170                                                 | 00                                                                                  |
| 23        |                        |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 23        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 24        | Sikkim                 |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 24        |                        |   2013 | 00                      | 00                          | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 24        |                        |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 24        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 25        | Tamil Nadu             |   2012 | 184677                  | 10290                       | 2340                                                | 00                                                                                  |
| 25        |                        |   2013 | 175705                  | 9196                        | 2008                                                | 00                                                                                  |
| 25        |                        |   2014 | 218293                  | 8949                        | 53                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 25        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 26        | Tripura                |   2012 | 10676                   | 392                         | 00                                                  | 780                                                                                 |
| 26        |                        |   2013 | 10150                   | 671                         | 87                                                  | 1254                                                                                |
| 26        |                        |   2014 | 9843                    | 403                         | 20                                                  | 431                                                                                 |
| 26        |                        |   2015 | 2729                    | 111                         | 00                                                  | 149                                                                                 |
| 27        | Uttarakhand            |   2012 | 2953                    | 1477                        | 7                                                   | 16                                                                                  |
| 27        |                        |   2013 | 10897                   | 1683                        | 11                                                  | 101                                                                                 |
| 27        |                        |   2014 | 2236                    | 00                          | 01                                                  | 15                                                                                  |
| 27        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 28        | Uttar Pradesh          |   2012 | 76458                   | 19226                       | 976                                                 | 5302                                                                                |
| 28        |                        |   2013 | 9220                    | 00                          | 311                                                 | 1807                                                                                |
| 28        |                        |   2014 | 8226                    | 00                          | 261                                                 | 1906                                                                                |
| 28        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 29        | West Bengal            |   2012 | 15436                   | 452                         | 01                                                  | 1213                                                                                |
| 29        |                        |   2013 | 17284                   | 302                         | 04                                                  | 1840                                                                                |
| 29        |                        |   2014 | 22769                   | 75                          | 01                                                  | 1401                                                                                |
| 29        |                        |   2015 | 7680                    | 52                          | 00                                                  | 462                                                                                 |
| 30        | A&N Islands            |   2012 | 316                     | 00                          | 00                                                  | 17                                                                                  |
| 30        |                        |   2013 | 126                     | 00                          | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 30        |                        |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 30        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 31        | Chandigarh             |   2012 | 00                      | 00                          | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 31        |                        |   2013 | 00                      | 00                          | 10                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 31        |                        |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 31        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 32        | D&N Haveli             |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 32        |                        |   2013 | 08                      | 02                          | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 32        |                        |   2014 | 06                      | 02                          | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 32        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 33        | Daman &Diu             |   2012 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 33        |                        |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 33        |                        |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 33        |                        |   2015 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 34        | Lakshadweep            |   2012 | 00                      | 00                          | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 34        |                        |   2013 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 34        |                        |   2014 | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |

| Sl. No.                          | Name of the State/UT             | Year                             | Number of inspections   | Number of raids conducted   | Number of persons arrested/ prosecuted/ convicted   | Number of FPS Licenses suspended/ Cancelled/ Show cause notices issued/FIR lodged   |
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                          | Name of the State/UT             | 2015                             | *                       | *                           | *                                                   | *                                                                                   |
| 35                               | Puducherry                       | 2012                             | 385                     | 770                         | 161                                                 | 00                                                                                  |
| 35                               | Puducherry                       | 2013                             | 1026                    | 520                         | 49                                                  | 01                                                                                  |
| 35                               | Puducherry                       | 2014                             | 2206                    | 670                         | 13                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| 35                               | Puducherry                       | 2015                             | 511                     | 175                         | 00                                                  | 00                                                                                  |
| Total                            | Total                            | 2012                             | 689891                  | 89415                       | 4137                                                | 21830                                                                               |
|                                  |                                  | 2013                             | 714220                  | 61711                       | 3052                                                | 15310                                                                               |
|                                  |                                  | 2014                             | 415258                  | 33158                       | 593                                                 | 4443                                                                                |
|                                  |                                  | 2015                             | 34147                   | 614                         | 51                                                  | 888                                                                                 |
| Grand Total= 2012+2013+2014+2015 | Grand Total= 2012+2013+2014+2015 | Grand Total= 2012+2013+2014+2015 | 1853516                 | 184898                      | 7833                                                | 42471                                                                               |

* Information not provided

***