Question : PULSES AND EDIBLE OIL UNDER PDS

(a) whether the Government has failedto provide the sanctioned quota of pulsesand edible oils to various States for distribution under the Public Distribution System (PDS);

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons for this short supply along withthe measures taken by the Government toensure full supply of the sanctioned quotato the States indicating the demand, allocation and supply of the said commodities during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether some States have failed tomake contracts for import of pulses and edible oils with the Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) as per the allocation made by the Union Government;

(d) if so, the actual quantity of the said commodities for which the States/UTs contracted with CPSUs for imports and the quantities lifted during the above period, State-wise; and

(e) whether the Government has since discontinued the scheme and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K. V. THOMAS)

(a): The State/UT Governments have been allocated full quota of edible oils as per their demands under the scheme of subsidized imported edible oils distributed by states through PDS with central subsidy of Rs. 15/- per kg. For distribution of pulses under PDS, the following two schemes were operated. Under the first scheme, operational from 2008-09 to 30.06.2012, for distribution of imported pulses by State governments through PDS@ of 1 kg per family per month with a subsidy of Rs. 10 per kg, the state governments/UTs were to indicate their requirements in terms of quantity of each type of pulses to the designated agency, and pulses as required by them were supplied by the designated agencies. As per the second Scheme for supply of imported pulses at Subsidized rates to States/UTs for distribution under PDS to BPL cardholders that was operational during January to March 2013, the States/UTs were to directly enter into contract with importing agencies for supply of imported pulses to be distributed under PDS, as per their number of BPL cardholders.

(b) to (d): The requisite information is being collected.

(e): In respect of edible oils, the scheme for distribution of subsidised imported edible oils is continued upto 30.09.2103. In the case of pulses, continuation of the scheme for supply of imported pulses under PDS to BPL cardholders is under consideration.