Question : Foodgrain Distribution under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Scheme

(a) the target set by the Government to distribute free foodgrains to migrant workers under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Scheme;

(b) the total quantum of foodgrains that have been lifted and distributed by the States to identified migrant workers;

(c) whether free grain under the Atmanirbhar Scheme for migrant labourers have reached only 31 per cent of the intended beneficiaries and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor and the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) the details of inter-State transactions benefiting migrant workers that have taken place through ePos during the last three months;

(e) whether the Government intends to continue this scheme considering the difficulties of migrant workers; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)
(a) to (c): There was no target fixed by this Department. Since no data on actual or estimated number of migrants/stranded migrant persons across the country was available with the Department, initial liberal estimate of about 8 Crore (80 Million) migrants/stranded migrant persons was made.
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This Department had liberally allocated foodgrains to cover maximum migrants/stranded migrants in the country (upto 10% of total approx. 80 Crore NFSA population) and allocated about approx. 4 LMT foodgrains per month (10% of monthly approx. 40 LMT allocated under NFSA) i.e. a total of approx. 8 LMT for a period of two months i.e. May and June 2020.
Responsibility of identification of beneficiaries, under this scheme was entrusted with States/UTs. States/UTs initially indicated about 2.8 crore total migrant population. Since identification of migrants took substantial time, Govt of India extended the distribution period of the foodgrains (lifted upto 25th June, 2020) upto 31st August 2020. Until 31.08.2020, about 2.67 LMT (provisional) of foodgrains have been distributed under the scheme to about 2.67 crore persons (i.e. 94.6% of estimated beneficiaries by States/UTs) per month for the months of May and June.
(d): Total 1.13 crore, 1.42 crore and 1.36 crore intra-state transactions were performed across States/UTs in the month of June ’20, July’ 20 and Aug ’20 respectively. Whereas, total 510, 1900 and 2400 Inter-State transactions were performed across States/UTs in the month of June ’20, July’ 20 and Aug ’20 respectively.
(e) & (f): The distribution period under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Scheme had already been extended till 31.08.2020.
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