Question : DIVERSION OF FOODGRAINS

(a) whether the Government procures/allocates foodgrains for the Food for Work Programme/Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana;

(b) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether there are reports of the diversion of foodgrains including rice meant for the said programme and having been illegally exported;

(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto alongwith the action taken against the culprits during the said period; and

(e) the details of the remedial measures taken to plug such loopholes and the success achieved therein?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)

(a),(b),(c),(d) & (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO.32 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 27-07-2010 IN THE LOK SABHA.

(a) & (b): The National Food for Work Programme was subsumed in Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with effect from 02-02-2006. Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) was fully subsumed from 01-04-2008 under MGNREGA. Hence, no allocation of foodgrains have been made under Food For Work Programme during the last three years. The Government has allocated foodgrains under the Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana during 2007-08 as indicated in the Annex. No allocations of foodgrains have been made in subsequent years under the scheme.

(c) & (d): There have been reports of diversion of rice meant for Food for Work Programme in Andhra Pradesh. Ministry of Rural Development requested the Government of Andhra Pradesh to investigate the matter and send an action taken report. So far, 103 cases have been proved and punishment imposed. 93 cases have been dropped. No cases of illegal exports have been reported.

(e): At present since both Food for Work Programme and Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana are subsumed under MGNREGA, which does not have any foodgrain component, the remedial measures to plug such loopholes does not arise.