(a) whether several shortcomings and irregularities found in the process meant for identifying the poor beneficiaries under Targeted Public Distribution system (TPDS) have now been removed and if so, the details thereof; and
(b) whether all the poor beneficiaries are being provided foodgrains under TPDS without any shortcomings or irregularities and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b): Coverage under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) has been delinked from poverty estimates and it provides for coverage of two-thirds of the population of the country for receiving foodgrains at highly subsidized prices. The Act is being implemented in all the States/Union Territories (UTs) and covers 80 crore persons belonging to eligible households identified by State Governments/UT Administrations.
There have been complaints about irregularities in the functioning of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in some States/regions in the country. As and when complaints are received from individuals and organizations as well as through press reports, these are referred to the State Governments/UT Administrations concerned for inquiry and appropriate action. Further, with the objective to check leakages and diversion of foodgrains, remove bogus/ ineligible rations cards, better targeting of food subsidy, the Government is implementing a scheme of end-to-end computerization of TPDS operations, which comprises of digitization of ration cards/ beneficiary and other databases, computerization of supply-chain management, setting up of transparency portals and grievance redressal mechanisms etc. During the process of digitization of beneficiaries database, de-duplication, Aadhaar seeding, in the run up to implement of NFSA, 2.33 crore ration cards have been deleted due to detection of Ghost/fraudulent/ duplicate/ ineligible/ migration/ deaths etc.
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