Question : BPL Families in Telangana

(a) the total number of BPL families and the number of ration card holders in Telangana;

(b) the rations received by each BPL family under public distribution scheme in Telangana from March 2020 to June 2022;

(c) the detailed break-up of contributions of food grains to each BPL family in public distribution schemes by the Union and State Governments in each month from March, 2020 to June 2022; and

(d) the quality checks and grievance redressal mechanisms in place presently in Telangana for food grains supplied to ration cardholders?

A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)


(a): As per the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), the Department allocates foodgrains to all States/UTs for distribution to the identified ration card holders by them (including Telangana) under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Household (PHH) categories of the Act only. The NFSA is operational in a uniform manner in all States/UTs, and there is no Below Poverty Line (BPL) category under the Act.

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(b): Govt. of India allocated 30.24 LMT and 21.08 LMT of foodgrains (Rice) to the State of Telangana under the regular NFSA and PM-GKAY respectively from March 2020 to June 2022.

(c) & (d): Under NFSA, the Department allocates foodgrains (Rice) to the Government of Telangana for distribution to the beneficiaries covered under the Act through AAY and PHH category ration cards only. However, the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Control Order, 2015 under the Act, enables the States/UTs to also allow the sale/distribution of other Essential Commodities and food items from their Fair Price Shops (FPSs) apart from NFSA foodgrains.

Further, under NFSA, there is a set procedure/mechanism to issue foodgrains under the Public Distribution System (PDS). Surprise checks are also conducted at Food Storage Depots/Fair Price Shops, to ensure the quality of foodgrains (wheat and rice), distributed to PDS beneficiaries. Moreover, Government has issued instructions to State Government/Union Territories (UTs) and Food Corporation of India (FCI) to ensure the supply of good quality foodgrains under PDS:

The States where the decentralized procurement is in operation, should ensure that the quality of foodgrains issued under TPDS and other welfare schemes should meet the prescribed quality standards.
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