(a) whether the Government has made reasonable efforts to control the unprecedented Inflation triggered by the interruptions in supply chain due to Covid-19, war and other
issues;
(b) if so,the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has made special efforts to reduce the food inflation at the lowest level so as to ensure that especially the poor do not have to bear the extra financial burden; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (d): The price situation of major essential commodities is monitored by the Government on a regular basis and corrective action is taken from time to time. Several supply-side measures have been taken by the Government to address inflation and to ensure that the poor do not have to bear the extra financial burden. These include reduction in import duties and cess on pulses, rationalization of tariffs and imposition of stock limits on edible oils and oil seeds, maintenance of buffer stock for onion and pulses, the inclusion of soya meal as an essential commodity in the schedule of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 up to 30th June 2022 and imposition of stock limit on soya meal up to 30th June 2022.
In addition, measures especially directed towards the poor include the Targeted Public Distribution System, under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) which is the largest public food-security program in the world covering around 80 crore people in the country. The food security response of the Government through Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) combined with the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) serves as a lifeline for the people. The PMGKAY, under which five kg of additional food grains per person per month is provided free of cost to NFSA beneficiaries, is being implemented in various phases since its start in April 2020. Phase VI of the scheme is under implementation till September 2022.
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