Union Minister Shri Ram Vilas Paswan urges States and UTs to fully implement One Nation One Ration Card scheme without any delay

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Shri Ram Vilas Paswan today interacted with media through video conference, where he briefed media about the progress of the major ongoing schemes- Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana-1 & 2, Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and One Nation One Ration Card of the Department of Food & Public Distribution.The main aim of these centrally sponsored schemes is to provide food grains and pulses/chana to all PDS and Non-PDS card holders, migrant labourers and those who are not covered under any food grain scheme, so that the poor and vulnerable beneficiaries under NFSA and other welfare schemes do not suffer on account of the non-availability of food grains during the unprecedented time of crisis.He also shared the data related to these schemes like details of dispatch,lifting and distribution of food grains and chana/pulses among beneficiarieswith the media persons.While praising the work of FCI and other organizations under DoFPD, he said sufficient food grains stock is available with FCI. He said that officials should randomly check the food grains distribution work at grassroot level and organize conferences at local level to deal with any complaint related to food grains distribution received from beneficiaries.

One Nation One Ration Card

While briefing the media,Shri Paswan informed thatfourmore States/UT namely Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland and Uttarakhand have been integrated in national portability with existing 20 States/UTs on 1^st August 2020. Now a total of 24 States/UTs are connected under One Nation One Ration Card scheme. He said with this, about 65 crores (80%) of total NFSA population is now potentially enabled for receiving food grains anywhere in these States/UTs through national portability of ration cards. He hoped that remaining States/UTs will be integrated in national portability by March 2021. Referring to incident of deletion of names from nearly 2.98 lakh ration cards, Shri Paswan said that the States/ UTs should include their names and provide them with ration cards, if their names are deleted by mistake. He said, DoFPD is receiving positive feedback from States/UTs and other Stakeholders for One Nation One Ration Card scheme and urged that States and UTs should fully implement this scheme so that the ration card holder will get their share of food grains without any delay and difficulty.

The 24 States/UTs are namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

NFSA Scheme:

The Minister said under NFSA scheme, food grains (Wheat/Rice/Coarse Grains) are provided on subsidized rates to around 81 crore NFSA card holders. He said that the Government of India is bearing 91% financial burden of the scheme,while States/UTs share only 9% financial burden of this scheme. He reiterated that States/UTs shouldalso acknowledge and inform beneficiaries while distributing the food grains under this scheme that these food grains are distributed with the help of central government sponsored scheme.

Total food grain stock:

While speaking about food grains distribution work,Shri Paswan said that in some States distribution of food grains has interrupted due to flood situation, he said States can lift their total allocated food grains quotaof NFSA and other welfare schemes from FCI at one go.

Further he added that as per Food Corporation of India report dated 06.08.2020, FCI currently has 241.47 LMT rice and 508.72 LMT wheat. Hence, a total of 750.19 LMT food grain stock is available. About 95 LMT food grains is required for a month under NFSA, PMGKAY and other welfare schemes.

He said since lockdown, about 139.97 LMT food grains have been lifted and transported through 4999 rail rakes. In July 2020, 42.39 LMT food grains have been lifted and transported through 1514 rail rakes. Since lockdown, 191.83 LMT food grains have been lifted and transported through 6851 rail rakes.

He said, apart from the rail route, transportation was also done through roads and waterways.Total 285.07 LMT food grains have been transported to other parts of the country and 13.89 LMT food grains has been transported to the North-Eastern States till 30^th June 2020. A total of 87.62 LMT food grains has been transported to other parts of the country and total 3.85 LMT food grains have been transported to the North-Eastern States since in July 2020. Since lockdown, total 384.83 LMT to other parts of the country and 18.26 LMT food grains to North EasternStates.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana-1

As informed under the PMGKAY-1, for the 3 months April, May and June 2020, a total of 119.5 LMT food grains (104.3 LMT rice and 15.2 LMT wheat) was required of which 101.51 LMT rice and 15.01 LMT wheat have been lifted by various States and UTs. Shri Paswan informed that total of 117.08 LMT food grains has been lifted. In the month of April 2020, 37.50 LMT (94 %) food grains have been distributed to 75.0 crore beneficiaries, in May 2020, total 37.43 LMT (94%) food grains distributed among 75.0 crores beneficiaries and in the month of June 2020, 36.54 LMT (92%) food grains have been distributed to 73.0 crores beneficiaries (distribution for June month is still on). Total average distribution in three months is around 93.5 percent.

As regards Pulses, Shri Paswan said the total requirement for the three months was 5.87 LMT. So far, 5.83 LMT Pulses have been dispatched to States/UTs and 5.80 LMT have reached the States/UTs, while 5.23 LMT pulses have been distributed. Total average distribution in three months is around 90 percent.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana-2:

Food grain (Rice/Wheat):

Since 01 July 2020, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana 2 has been started, which will continue till November 2020. During this period, a total of 201 LMT food grains will be distributed among 81 crore beneficiaries, as well as a total of 12 LMT whole chana will be distributed among 19.4 crore families.

Shri Paswan while briefing about PMGKAY-2, the Minister informed that total of 201.08 LMT (40.27LMT/per month) food grains have been allocated for PMGKAY-2 to States and UTs for the 5 months period from July to November 2020. This includes 91.14 LMT wheat and 109.94 LMT rice. A total of 49.82 LMT food grains have been lifted and 25.66 LMT food grains have been distributed by States/UTs. In the month of July 2020, total 24.94 LMT (62%) food grains have been distributed among 49.87 crore beneficiaries and in August, 2020 total 72,711 MT(1.8%) food grains have been distributed among 1.45 crore beneficiaries(distribution for month of July and August is still on) by States/UTs. The Government of India is bearing 100% financial burden of approximately Rs. 76,062 crores of PMGKAY-2 scheme. Wheat has been allocated to 4 States and UTs, rice has been allocated to 15 States/UTs and both rice and wheat have been allocated to the remaining 17 States/UTs.

Chana:

As regards to chana, the Minister informed that the total requirement for the next five months is 9.70 LMT. A total of 2.10 LMT chana dal has been dispatched and out of this1.56 LMT chana dal has been reached the States/UTs.He Said about 11,979 MT chana has been distributed among beneficiaries by States/UTs. The Government of India is bearing 100% financial burden of approximately Rs 6849 crore under this scheme. He said total of 10.01 LMT pulses (Toor-5.24 LMT, Moong-1.12 LMT, Urad-2.10 LMT, Chana-1.27 LMT and Masur-0.27 LMT ) is available in the stock as on 06.08.2020. Around 27.72 LMT chana is available in PSS stock and 1.27 LMT chana is available in PSF stock.

Food grain distribution to migrant labourers: (Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan)

Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat package, Government of India had decided that 8 LMT food grains will be provided to projected 8 crore migrant labourers, stranded and needy families, who are not covered under NFSA or State scheme PDS cards. 5 kg of food grain per person was to be distributed free of cost for the months of May and June to all migrants. Shri Paswan informed the media that under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the states and UTs have lifted 6.39 LMT of food grains. States and UTs have distributed 2.46 LMT of food grains to (in May 2.42 crore and in June 2.51 crore) beneficiaries.

The Government of India also approved 39,000 MT chana for projected 1.96 crore migrant families. An estimated 8 crore migrant labourers, stranded and needy families, who are not covered under NFSA or State scheme PDS cards would be given 1 kg of gram/dal per family for the month of May and June for free. This allocation of gram/dal is being done according to the need of the states. The Minister informed that around 33,745 MT chana have been dispatched to the states and UTs. A total 33,388 MT chana has been lifted by various States and UTs. Total 15,681 MT chana has been distributed by the states and UTs. The Government of India is bearing 100% financial burden of approximately Rs. 3,109 crores for food grain and Rs 280 crores for gram under this scheme.

Food grain Procurement:

Shri Paswan while briefing informed that as on 06.08.2020, total 389.81 LMT wheat (RMS 2020-21) and 752.96 LMT rice (KMS 2019-20) were procured.

In his concluding remarks, Shri Paswan praised the role of Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Shipping and applauded the performance ofFCI, CWC, CRWC, State Warehouses and State and UTs civil supplies department /corporation , their officers and employees as they all worked in perfect coordination to make food grain distribution possible in the difficult time of covid-19 pandemic.