(a) whether the Government has discontinued issuance of new ration cards;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(c) the time by which the process of issuing new ration cards is likely to be restarted?
(a) whether the Government has discontinued issuance of new ration cards;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(c) the time by which the process of issuing new ration cards is likely to be restarted?
MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)
(a) & (b): Targeted Public Distribution System (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.
National food Security Act, 2013 provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under TPDS, thus covering about two-thirds of the population which results in a total of approximately 81.35 crore beneficiaries. Within the coverage under TPDS determined for each State, the work of identification of eligible households is to be done by States/UTs. Identification of new beneficiaries is a continuous process and as and when new eligible beneficiaries are found as per norms, new ration cards are issued by State/UT Governments for those beneficiaries.
(c): Does not arise.
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