Question : Ration for Homeless

(a) whether the Union Government has decided to bring all homeless, shelterless and destitutes who might not have ration cards under the National Food Security Act, 2013 in order to ensure provision of foodgrains and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Union Government has also initiated the plan of action to identify those homeless who could not get ration due to the non-issuance of ration cards by the State Governments; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Union Government in this regard?

A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a) to (c): The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides coverage for a maximum of 81.35 Crore persons to receive the benefit of subsidised foodgrains from Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). Further, as per the obligations and provisions of the Act, inter-alia it is the responsibility of the States/UTs to identify maximum eligible beneficiaries/households as per criteria evolved by them for the inclusion and exclusion of beneficiaries under the Act and issue NFSA ration cards to the persons/households identified up to their respective ceiling limits of NFSA coverage.

The Department in the past had also advised the States/UTs from time to time to identify and cover maximum eligible and left out persons, which may also include the vulnerable sections of the society such as homeless, shelterless persons, destitute women, etc. who might be genuinely eligible under NFSA but not having ration cards so far. States/UTs were also advised to organize special drives, camps, etc. to facilitate the identification and inclusion of maximum eligible and vulnerable persons under NFSA within their respective NFSA coverage limits.
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