Question : Allocation of Rice to Assam

(a) the quantum of rice to be allocated by the Government to Assam per year along with the number of people among whom it is distributed;

(b) whether the public distribution of rice to the workers of tea plantations has been stopped in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) areas;

(c) whether the shop owners of Fair Price Shops are facing many problems due to the non-payment of commission to them for many years;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the total number of workers of tea plantations in Assam to whom the rice are provided with the rates per kilogram at which it is distributed?

A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a): A monthly quantity of 135277.245 MT Rice and 5781.67 MT Wheat per month is being allocated to State Govt of Assam for distribution to a total of 25030742 beneficiaries under NFSA.

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(b) to (d): NFSA is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State/UT Govt. Central Govt is responsible for allocation and transportation of foodgrains upto the designated depots of the FCI. The operational responsibilities for allocation of foodgrains within the States/UTs, identification of eligible beneficiaries, issuance of ration cards to them, distribution of foodgrains to eligible beneficiaries rest with the concerned State/UT Govt.
Under the joint responsibility of the Central and State/Union Territory (UT) Governments, the responsibility for payment of commission to fair price shop dealers rests with the concerned State Government. As per Rule 7 of the Food Security (Assistance to State Governments) Rules, 2015 notified by the Central Government under the National Food Security Act, 2013 the State Government shall ensure the payment of fair price shop dealers’ margin in advance by way of adjusting the same in prices of foodgrains to be paid by fair price shop dealers, or through other appropriate mechanism. If the price of foodgrains payable by fair price shop dealers in any State or Union territory is lower than the fair price shop dealers’ margin, the State Government shall ensure upfront payment of margin, in full, to fair price shop dealers.
However, as per provisions of the Section 22(4)(d) of the NFSA, Central assistance is provided to all the States/UTs for partly meeting the expenditure towards intra-State movement & handling of foodgrains and fair price shop dealers’ margin as per provisions of Food Security (Assistance to State Government) Rules, 2015.

(e): Responsibility of identification of eligible beneficiaries under NFSA rests with State Govt. All the beneficiaries under NFSA are entitled to receive foodgrains @ Rs 1/2/3 per kg for nutri-cereals/wheat/rice respectively.

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