Question : ALLOCATION UNDER PDS

(a) the details regarding the number of beneficiarie covered, quantum of various items allocated, released, lifted and utilized under the Public Distribution System (PDS) during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(b) whether any complaints/reports regarding delayed or inadequate supply of the said commodities to the States have been received and if so, the details thereof and the corrective action taken by the Government thereon;

(c) whether the allocation of the said commodities has been reduced recently;

(d) if so, whether requests have been received from the States for restoration of earlier quota or increase the supply of said commodities and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; and

(e) the details of the steps taken by the Government for review/revision of the list of Below Poverty Line (BPL) beneficiaries under the PDS alongwith the success achieved therein?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAOSAHEB PATIL DANVE)

(a): Allocation of foodgrains (rice and wheat) are made by the Government under the existing Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) to States/Union Territories (UTs) for distribu- tion to 6.52 crore accepted number of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families including 2.50 crore Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) fami- lies. Allocation of foodgrains to about 11.52 crore Above Poverty Line (APL) families are also made depending upon the availability of foodgrains in the Central pool and the past offtake. A State/UT wise statement showing the number of beneficiaries covered under existing TPDS is at Annex –I.

Further, the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) has been notified on 10.09.2013. This Act inter alia provides for a coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population at the all India level under TPDS. As per the above coverage and based on 2011 census population, the number of persons eligible for subsidized foodgrains under TPDS is estimated at about 81.35 crore.

State/UT wise statements showing the details of allocation and offtake of foodgrains (rice and wheat) under TPDS during each of the last three years and the current year (upto October, 2014) are at Annex-II to V.

(b): No complaint has been received from the States/UTs for delayed allocation under existing normal TPDS allocation.

(c)&(d): No reduction has been made in allocation of foodgrains under TPDS. However, requests have been received from some States for higher allocation/additional allocation under TPDS. During the current year 2014-15, the Government has allocated additional 27.82 lakh tons of rice and 2.04 lakh tons of wheat for additional BPL families and 27.61 lakh tons of rice and 8.98 lakh tons of wheat for APL families. 6.01 lakh tons of rice and 6.83 lakh tons of wheat have also been allocated to the States for natural calamities, festivals, additional requirement under TPDS, etc.

(e): Under the Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2001, State/UT Governments are to review the lists of benefi- ciaries every year for the purpose of deletion of ineligible families and inclusion of eligible families. As per reports received from States/UTs since July 2006, upto 30.06.2014, over 4.93 crore bogus/ineligible ration cards were deleted by them.