A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)
(a) & (b): The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint responsibilities of the Central and the State/UT Governments, wherein the operational responsibilities, such as identification of beneficiaries/ households under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), issuance of ration cards to them, allocation of foodgrains to all Fair Price Shops (FPSs), distribution to beneficiaries, licensing & monitoring of FPSs, grievance redressal of beneficiaries including irregularities/corruption in TPDS operations, diversion of foodgrains, etc. lies with the concerned State/UT government. However, as and when any complaints are received in this Department from individuals, organizations as well as through media reports regarding any irregularities in the functioning of the TPDS are forwarded to the concerned State/UT Government for inquiry and appropriate action at their end. A State/UT wise statement showing number of complaints received in this Department during the last three years is at Annexure -I.
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Further, an offence committed in violation of the provisions of the TPDS (Control) Order, 2015 is liable for penal action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Thus, the Order empowers all State/UT Governments to take punitive actions in case of contravention of the relevant provisions of the Order. During the last three years 2018 to 2020, actions pertaining to number of FPS licenses suspended/cancelled/ show-cause notices issued/ FIRs lodged by States/UTs in a total of about 19,410 cases so far.
(c): The Department had engaged 26 esteemed institutions/ universities as Monitoring Institutions (MIs) for conducting the ‘Concurrent Evaluation of the implementation of NFSA’ in States/UTs during 2018-20. The quarterly reports were shared with the respective States/UTs for remedial action, if any highlighted by MIs in the key areas of beneficiary management, FPS automation, supply chain management, portability of ration cards, cash transfers, etc. Taking a step forward, for the period 2020-23, the Department has engaged 12 MIs for concurrent evaluation exercise in States/UTs on thematic basis.
(d & e): To bring reforms in the functioning of TPDS, the Department in association with all States/UTs had implemented a scheme on ‘End-to-End Computerization of TPDS Operations’, comprising – digitization of ration cards/beneficiaries’ data, computerization of supply chain management of foodgrains, setting up of online grievance redressal mechanisms & toll free helplines and the installation of electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices at the Fair Price Shops (FPSs) for transparent and efficient distribution of highly subsidised foodgrains to the targeted beneficiaries/ households under NFSA. Besides, Aadhaar seeding of beneficiaries with their ration cards is also being done to enable rightful targeting of beneficiaries. Presently, more than 70% of monthly allocated foodgrains to States/UTs are being distributed to beneficiaries through biometrically authenticated ePoS transactions on monthly basis. Further, portability of ration cards under One Nation One Ration Card plan is also enabled in 32 States/UTs potentially enabling about 69 Crore (86% NFSA population) to lift their foodgrains from any FPS of their choice in these States/UTs.
(f): The Department has issued following instructions to all States/UTs and FCI to ensure the supply of good quality foodgrains under PDS:
i) Only good quality foodgrains free from insect infestation and conforming to Food Safety Standards shall be issued under TPDS and other welfare schemes.
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ii) Ample opportunities shall be provided to the State Government/UTs Administration to inspect the stocks prior to lifting from FCI godowns. State/UTs may ensure that officers not below the rank of Inspector are deputed for inspection of the foodgrains before their lifting from FCI godowns.
iii) Samples of foodgrains shall be collected and sealed from the stocks of foodgrains to be issued under the TPDS jointly by FCI and State Government/UT Administration.
iv) An officer not below the rank of Inspector shall be deputed from State Government to take the delivery of foodgrains stocks from FCI godowns.
v) Regular inspection to check the quality of foodgrains shall be carried out by the officers of State Government.
vi) It is the responsibility of the concerned State Government/UT Administration shall ensure that during transportation and storage at different stages in the distribution chain, the foodgrains retain the required quality specifications.
vii)The State Government, where the decentralized procurement is in operation, should ensure that the quality of foodgrains issued under TPDS and other welfare schemes should meet the desired standards under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
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ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1176 FOR ANSWER ON 09.02.2021 IN THE LOK SABHA.
STATEMENT: COMPLAINTS ON TPDS RECEIVED IN THE DEPARTMENT FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANISATIONS & THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS ETC FROM 2018 TO 2020
S. No. State/UT 2018 2019 2020
1 Andhra Pradesh 6 6 20
2 Arunachal Pradesh 1 1 -
3 Assam 7 8 39
4 Bihar 135 119 335
5 Chhattisgarh 9 7 17
6 Delhi 76 81 186
7 Goa - 1 -
8 Gujarat 8 9 36
9 Haryana 35 39 69
10 Himachal Pradesh 1 1 2
11 J&K 5 3 7
12 Jharkhand 33 17 49
13 Karnataka 15 18 69
14 Kerala 11 11 13
15 Madhya Pradesh 24 26 55
16 Maharashtra 34 24 150
17 Manipur 2 - 2
18 Meghalaya - 1 1
19 Mizoram - - -
20 Nagaland - 1 1
21 Orissa 16 16 39
22 Punjab 22 14 32
23 Rajasthan 38 24 45
24 Sikkim - - -
25 Tamil Nadu 27 16 46
26 Telangana 3 3 18
27 Tripura - - 3
28 Uttarakhand 15 14 27
29 Uttar Pradesh 369 343 589
30 West Bengal 43 51 213
31 A&N Island 1 - -
32 Chandigarh 2 - 5
33 D& N Haveli - - 2
34 Daman & Diu - - -
35 Lakshadweep 1 - -
36 Puducherry 2 1 6
TOTAL 941 855 2076
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