Question : Violations of PDS (Control) Order 2001 and NFSA 2013

(a) whether cases of violations of provisions of Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2001 and National Food Security Act, 2013 have come to the notice of the Government during the last three years and the current year and if so, the details thereof including the nature of such violations, State/UT-wise and the reasons therefor along with the action taken/being taken by the Government in such cases so far;
(b) whether the Government has advised the State Governments to link Aadhaar card of beneficiaries to the Public Distribution System to ensure complete elimination of duplicate beneficiaries across the country and if so, the details and the present status thereof, as on date;
(c) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent violation of the provisions of the said Acts and to bring transparency in the Public Distribution System along with the achievements thereof;
(d) whether the Government has also noticed several gaps in the implementation of the National Food Security Act including misclassification of the poor as non-poor and vice-versa and if so, the details thereof and the corrective action taken thereon, State/UT-wise; and
(e) whether the National Food Security Act has been implemented in all the States in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the names of such States?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)
(a): There have been complaints/reports from individuals and organizations as well as through press reports relating to untimely supply of foodgrains, leakage/diversion, inclusion/exclusion errors, bogus/ineligible ration cards being in circulation, diversion/theft of foodgrains, irregular functioning of FPS,
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beneficiaries not getting their entitled quota of foodgrains and allotment of fair price shops in an arbitrary manner, etc. In order to bring the PDS(C) Order, 2001, in consonance with the National Food Security Act, 2013, (NFSA), the Department has notified the Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2015. Under National Food Security [NFSA] Act, 2013 and Targeted Public Distribution System [TPDS] (Control) Order, 2015, responsibility of addressing all these issues falls under the purview of respective State/UT Governments. Therefore, as and when shortcomings/complaints are received by this Department, these are referred to the State/UT Governments concerned for inquiry and appropriate action.
A statement indicating State-wise number of complaints on Targeted Public Distribution System [TPDS] received from 2013 to 2016 is at Annexure.
(b) to (d): All States/UTs have also been requested to seed the Aadhaar numbers in Ration Card database. The scheme will enable removal of bogus/ineligible ration cards and better targeting of food subsidy, facilitate availability of foodgrains to intended beneficiaries at Fair Price Shops (FPS), check leakages and diversions etc. As on 24.01.2017, approximately 73% ration cards have been seeded with Aadhaar number.
To prevent the violation of provisions of TPDS[Control] Order 2015 and NFSA 2013, the Department of Food & Public Distribution is implementing a Plan Scheme on ‘End-to-end Computerisation of TPDS Operations’ under 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) on cost sharing basis with the States/UTs. The Scheme comprises of activities namely, digitization of ration cards/beneficiary and other databases, computerisation of supply-chain management, setting up of transparency portals and grievance redressal mechanisms and installation of e PoS devices at Fair Price Shops and issuance of foodgrains through biometric authentication. As on 24.01.2017, 100% ration cards have been digitized and approximately 1.78 lakh e PoS are currently operating at Fair Price Shops.
Further, NFSA provides for two tier Grievance Redressal Mechanism in each State/UT including District Grievance Redressal Officer and State Food Commission. In addition, a system of toll-free helpline numbers has also been put in place by State/UT Governments for suggestions/complaints regarding TPDS.
(e): NFSA has been implemented in all 36 States/UTs of the Country.
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ANNEXURE-I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 893 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 07.02.2017 IN THE LOK SABHA
STATEMENT: COMPLAINTS ON TPDS RECEIVED IN THE DEPARTMENT FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANISATIONS & THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS ETC FROM 2013 TO 2016
S. No.
State/UT
2013
2014
2015
2016
1
Andhra Pradesh
3
4
8
5
2
Arunachal Pradesh
-
1
1
-
3
Assam
-
5
34
32
4
Bihar
32
55
106
81
5
Chhattisgarh
3
3
6
9
6
Delhi
37
78
113
91
7
Goa
-
-
-
1
8
Gujarat
4
16
8
12
9
Haryana
11
26
35
34
10
Himachal Pradesh
-
-
4
5
11
J&K
-
-
5
3
12
Jharkhand
8
16
32
29
13
Karnataka
6
6
16
22
14
Kerala
1
1
16
22
15
Madhya Pradesh
17
7
17
24
16
Maharashtra
20
25
48
62
17
Manipur
2
1
6
4
18
Meghalaya
1
2
7
9
19
Mizoram
-
-
-
-
20
Nagaland
-
3
-
2
21
Orissa
3
8
22
43
22
Punjab
6
5
10
7
23
Rajasthan
18
31
33
59
24
Sikkim
0
-
-
-
25
Tamil Nadu
9
7
22
33
26
Telangana
-
-
10
1
27
Tripura
-
-
-
1
28
Uttarakhand
2
8
24
21
29
Uttar Pradesh
92
137
197
461
30
West Bengal
7
11
32
29
31
A&N Island
-
-
-
1
32
Chandigarh
-
3
6
2
33
D& N Haveli
-
1
-
1
34
Puducherry
-
-
-
-
TOTAL
282
460
818
1106
***