(a) whether the proposal for enhancement of the upper ceiling of the State by 20 lakhs will be considered by the Government of India for coverage of the left out eligible population into NFSA fold; and
(b) the time by which the Government is releasing the shortfall allocation of rice genuinely demanded by the States under NFSA?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b): State in respect of which information is sought has not been specified.
It is however stated that corresponding to coverage of 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population, at the all India level, for receiving highly subsidized foodgrains under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), State/Union Territory-wise coverage was determined by the then Planning Commission using a uniform methodology. Coverage under the Act is under two categories – households covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority households. Allocation of foodgrains to States/ UTs under NFSA is made on the basis of State/UT-wise coverage of population, identification of beneficiaries by States/UTs within the coverage, and foodgrains entitlement prescribed under the Act i.e. 35 kg per household per month for households covered under AAY and 5 kg per person per month for Priority households. The Act further provides that if on the above basis, annual foodgrains allocation to any State/UT is lower than the average annual offtake during 2010-11 to 2012-13 under erstwhile normal Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), the same shall be protected. Foodgrains are being allocated as per the above criteria, uniformly applicable to all States/UTs. As per the Act, it is the responsibility of State Governments to identify AAY households in accordance with the guidelines applicable to the scheme and remaining households as priority households in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the State Government. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the State Governments to ensure that, within the coverage determined for the State, all the eligible households, as per criteria prescribed by them, are included, and provided foodgrains as per their entitlement under the Act.
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