Question : Wastage of Foodgrains

(a) whether the Government is aware that the foodgrains procured by the Government gets spoiled by mold and other insects during monsoon season due to improper storage and if so, the facts thereof;

(b) whether 14 billion dollars worth of food products gets spoiled every year in India as reported by Food and Agricultural Organisation and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Public Distribution System (PDS) has been more focused on urban areas in comparison to rural areas and if so, the details in this regard; and

(d) whether leakage has become a very serious problem in the PDS and if so, the details thereof?

A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a): No quantity of Central Pool Foodgrains stocks (wheat and rice) gets spoiled by mold and other insects during monsoon season due to improper storage.

(b): Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN has not prepared any such report in respect of foodgrains.

(c): The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is now governed as per provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 which provides for coverage of about 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population for receiving highly subsidized food grains under TPDS.

(d): Operational responsibility of TPDS rests with the State/UT Governments. However, to minimize/check the leakage in PDS, this Department has implemented an important Scheme on “End-to-End Computerization of TPDS Operations” on cost sharing basis with the States/UTs with the main components of digitization of ration cards/beneficiary and other database, computerization of supply-chain management, setting up of transparency portals, grievance redressal mechanism and installation of ePoS devices at fair price shops.
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