Question : Coverage of NFSA

(a) whether the Government proposes to put a cap on the overall number of people eligible for cheap grains under the National Food Security Act and to bring down the poorest category covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana with a view to recalibrate social security schemes and cut down subsidies;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether objections to the said decision of the Government have been
raised from various quarters; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto?

MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)
(a) to (d): The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population at the all India level to receive foodgrains at subsidised prices under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), corresponding to which State-wise coverage has been determined by the Central Government. Eligible households for coverage under the Act comprise of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households and priority households. There is no proposal to amend the coverage under the Act.
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Government has notified the TPDS (Control) Order, 2015 on 20.03.2015 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, in supersession of PDS (Control) Order, 2001, which is applicable to the States/Union Territories (UTs) implementing NFSA. Some news articles have inter alia referred to certain provisions in the Control Order and alleged that AAY is being sought to be phased out.

The Control Order, however, merely provides that when an Antyodaya household becomes ineligible on account of migration outside the State, improvement in social or economic status, death, etc., no new Antyodaya household shall be identified in that State and the total number of Antyodaya households shall be reduced to that extent. The Control Order further provides for corresponding increase in the coverage under priority category, for which the same subsidized prices of Rs. 2/3 per kg for wheat/rice are applicable. Foodgrain entitlements for the priority category households under NFSA are on per person basis, which is more equitable and fair.

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