Question : RATION CARDS FOR BPL FAMILIES

(a) whether a number of eligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) persons have not been issued ration cards as per their entitlement and the benefits meant for them are being appropriated by other persons using bogus cards;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;

(c) whether the Government has launched/proposes to launch any campaign at the national level to eliminate bogus cards and issue cards to all the eligible families;

(d) if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and

(e) the details of the directives/advisories issued to the States to weed out bogus cards and ensure availability of commodities under the Public Distribution System alongwith the reaction of the States thereto?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)

(a) to (e): Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State/Union Territory (UT) Governments. The responsibilities for identification of eligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) families based on estimates of Planning Commission adopted by Central Government, issuance of ration cards to them, etc. rest with the State/UT Governments.

Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2001 mandates the State/UT Governments to issue ration cards to eligible applicants and to conduct periodical checking of ration cards to weed out ineligible and bogus ration cards as well as bogus units in ration cards.

In consultation with the State/UT Governments, a Nine Point Action Plan was evolved in 2006, which inter-alia includes continuous review of BPL/AAY lists and to eliminate bogus/ineligible ration cards alongwith strict action to be taken against the guilty to ensure leakage free distribution of foodgrains. State/UT Governments were also requested to initiate penal action against the Government staff found responsible for issuing bogus/ineligible ration cards and the families/persons possessing such ration cards. Instructions were also issued to all State/UT Governments to carry out an intensive campaign from October, 2009 to December, 2009 to review the existing lists of BPL/AAY families and eliminate ineligible/bogus ration cards. As a result thereof, 26 State/UT Governments have reported by 31.01.2011, deletion of 208.57 lakh bogus/ineligible ration cards.

Instructions have also been issued to all State/UT Governments to issue warning to the bogus ration card holders, through advertisements in the newspapers, to surrender the bogus