The Crossbill News Desk
The Union government has informed Parliament that nearly 79 lakh eligible beneficiaries are yet to be covered under the National Food Security Scheme (NFSS), despite the scheme’s intended coverage of 81.35 crore people.
As of now, states and Union Territories have identified 80.56 crore beneficiaries, leaving a significant gap in the implementation of the scheme.
During Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (March 25), Congress MP Jairam Ramesh raised concerns over this shortfall and questioned how the government planned to bridge the gap.
“According to a written answer given by Joshi to BJD member Niranjan Bishi’s question, there is a discrepancy of eight million between the intended and identified beneficiaries of public distribution system. This means that eight million Indians, who are entitled to free food grains under the National Food Security Act, are not receiving their ration,” Ramesh said.
Addressing supplementary questions, Ramesh pointed out that, by the minister’s own admission, around 80 lakh Indians entitled to free rations are not receiving them.
“How will this gap between intended beneficiaries and identified beneficiaries be filled up?” he asked.
He further noted that, in the absence of the 2021 Census, an estimated 14 crore additional Indians who might be eligible under the NFSA remain outside the purview of the scheme. He demanded clarity on when the Census would be conducted to update the NFSA’s beneficiary list.
In response, Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi stated that the identification of beneficiaries falls under the purview of state governments.
While responding to supplementary questions, Joshi stated that 79 lakh people have yet to receive free rations as per the government's target. Joshi, however, maintained that the responsibility of finalizing the list of beneficiaries lies with state governments.
“The gap that he is referring to, the government of India has given a ceiling limit. According to this ceiling limit, state governments decide their own criteria and can make additions and deletions. Census is not related to my department,” the minister replied.
In a written reply to a question by Biju Janata Dal MP Niranjan Bishi, Joshi said that under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population are eligible for coverage, which, based on the 2011 Census, amounts to 81.35 crore people.
“At present, against intended coverage of 81.35 crore, 80.56 crore beneficiaries are identified by the States/UTs under the Act. The identification of beneficiaries by States/Union Territories is a continuous process, which involves exclusion of ineligible/fake/duplicate ration cards and also exclusion on account of death, migration etc. and inclusion on account of birth as also that of genuine left-out households,” Joshi said in his written reply.
As of now, states and Union Territories have identified 80.56 crore beneficiaries, leaving a significant gap in the implementation of the scheme.
During Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (March 25), Congress MP Jairam Ramesh raised concerns over this shortfall and questioned how the government planned to bridge the gap.
“According to a written answer given by Joshi to BJD member Niranjan Bishi’s question, there is a discrepancy of eight million between the intended and identified beneficiaries of public distribution system. This means that eight million Indians, who are entitled to free food grains under the National Food Security Act, are not receiving their ration,” Ramesh said.
Addressing supplementary questions, Ramesh pointed out that, by the minister’s own admission, around 80 lakh Indians entitled to free rations are not receiving them.
“How will this gap between intended beneficiaries and identified beneficiaries be filled up?” he asked.
He further noted that, in the absence of the 2021 Census, an estimated 14 crore additional Indians who might be eligible under the NFSA remain outside the purview of the scheme. He demanded clarity on when the Census would be conducted to update the NFSA’s beneficiary list.
In response, Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi stated that the identification of beneficiaries falls under the purview of state governments.
While responding to supplementary questions, Joshi stated that 79 lakh people have yet to receive free rations as per the government's target. Joshi, however, maintained that the responsibility of finalizing the list of beneficiaries lies with state governments.
“The gap that he is referring to, the government of India has given a ceiling limit. According to this ceiling limit, state governments decide their own criteria and can make additions and deletions. Census is not related to my department,” the minister replied.
In a written reply to a question by Biju Janata Dal MP Niranjan Bishi, Joshi said that under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population are eligible for coverage, which, based on the 2011 Census, amounts to 81.35 crore people.
“At present, against intended coverage of 81.35 crore, 80.56 crore beneficiaries are identified by the States/UTs under the Act. The identification of beneficiaries by States/Union Territories is a continuous process, which involves exclusion of ineligible/fake/duplicate ration cards and also exclusion on account of death, migration etc. and inclusion on account of birth as also that of genuine left-out households,” Joshi said in his written reply.
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