Department of Food & Public Distribution - Year End Review

Highlights

    1. Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on “Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System”

        a. In order to take the country forward from food security to nutritional security, a Pilot Scheme of Rice Fortification is being implemented in 15 States (One district per State).

        b. Gradual scaling up of this initiative has also been envisaged to cover the other parts of the country in due course in a phased manner.

    2. Implementation of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)

        a. Persistent efforts have resulted in universal implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) in all States/UTs, benefitting about 80.60 Crore persons in the country by providing them access to highly subsidized foodgrains at Rs. 1/2/3 per Kg for Coarse-grains/Wheat/Rice respectively.

    3. Reforms on Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)

        a. 100% digitized ration cards/beneficiaries’ data under NFSA in all States/UTs. Details of almost 23.5 Crore ration Cards covering nearly 80 Crore beneficiaries are available on transparency portals of States/UTs.

        b. More than 90% Aadhaar seeding of ration cards (at least one member), whereas nearly 86.4% beneficiaries are also Aadhaar seeded at the national level.

        c. More than 91% (4.91 Lakh of total 5.4 Lakh) Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country are automated using electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices for transparent and ensured distribution of subsidized foodgrains to beneficiaries.

        d. Nationally, achieved nearly 67% biometrically/Aadhaar authenticated distribution of monthly allocated foodgrains to States/UTs under NFSA.

        e. By the use of technology in TPDS operations since 2013, i.e. digitization of ration cards/beneficiary databases, Aadhaar seeding, de-duplication of databases, detection of ineligible, inactive/silent ration cards (may be due to death/migration of beneficiaries) and during the run-up to and implementation of NFSA, a total of about 4.39 Crore ration cards have been weeded out by States/UTs during the period 2013 to 2020 (08.12.2020).

        f. Food security response during the COVID-19 crisis: During the COVID-19 crisis, the Department had allocated nearly 680 LMT foodgrains. 321 LMT were allocated for free-of-cost distribution under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) and 8 LMT under AtmaNirbhar Bharat Scheme (ANBS).

        g. One Nation One Ration Card: is seamlessly enabled in a single cluster of 32 States/UTs covering about 69 Crore beneficiaries (nearly 86% of NFSA population) and has also become a part of the Prime Minister’s Technology Driven System Reforms under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

    4. Supporting the Farmer

        a. During Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2019-20, a record quantity of519.97 LMT paddy (in terms of rice) has been procured against 443.99 LMT of paddy (in terms of rice) in KMS 2018-19.

        b. During Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2020-21, a record quantity of 389.93 LMT of wheat was procured.

    5. Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) (Domestic)

        a. Through Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) (OMSS(D)) 2020-21, a total quantity of 7.10 Lakh MT of wheat and 11.02 Lakh MT of rice have been sold in the open market till 2nd tender of December, 2020 i.e. 09.12.2020.

        b. A special dispensation for supply of Foodgrains to all the charitable/ non- governmental organizations etc. engaged in relief/running community kitchens for migrant labours/vulnerable groups due to the lock down condition, was introduced w.e.f. 08.04.2020.

    6. Movement of Foodgrains

        a. As part of HLC recommendation, FCI made a trial of containerised movement of foodgrains through CONCOR from Chhattisgarh (Raipur) to Maharashtra (Turbhe) in August, 2016.

        b. It was further extended from Punjab, Haryana and AP to recipient States like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat and was found to be economical in comparison to conventional Railway rakes.

    7. Food Subsidy

        a. A total of Rs 50421.172 crore has been released as food subsidy to the DCP states from 1.1.2020 to 15.12.2020.

        b. Further, Rs 77980 crores has been released as food subsidy to FCI as on 15.12.2020 from 1.1.2020.

    8. Sugar Sector

        a. Notified a scheme on 31.07.2019 for creation and maintenance of buffer stock of 40 LMT of sugar for a period of one year from 1st August, 2019 to 31st July, 2020 for which Government is reimbursing carrying cost of Rs.1674 crore towards maintenance of buffer stock.

        b. With a view to facilitate export of sugar during the sugar season 2019-20, the Government has notified a scheme for providing assistance to sugar mills to meet expenses on export of 60 LMT of sugar to the extent of Maximum Admissible Export Quantity (MAEQ) for sugar season 2019-20. 

        c. Under the scheme, Government would be providing a lump sum assistance @ Rs.10448/MT to sugar mills to facilitate export in sugar season 2019-20 for which an estimated expenditure of Rs 6268 Cr would be borne by Govt.

        d. The Government has allowed production of ethanol from sugar and sugar syrup for ethanol supply year 2019-20 (December, 2019 – November, 2020) and has fixed the remunerative ex-mill price of ethanol.

        e. As a result of above measures, all India cane price arrears of farmers have also came down to Rs. 242 crore from the peak arrears of about Rs. 23232 crore for sugar season 2017-18; for sugar season 2018-19 Rs.534 from total dues of Rs.86723 and for sugar season 2019-20 is came down of Rs.3574 from total dues of Rs.75845.

    9. Production of Hand-sanitizer

        a. DFPD coordinated with industry and State Governments to encourage the industry to produce hand sanitizer.

        b. 912 distilleries/independent manufacturers were accorded permissions to produce hand sanitizer.

        c. Installed capacity for production of hand sanitizer increased substantially to 30 lakh liters per day. As on 08.12.2020, around 4.04 crore liters of hand sanitizer has been produced.

    10. Diversion of excess sugar to ethanol and Augmentation of Ethanol Production Capacity under Ethanol Blended with Petrol (EBP) Programme. With this ethanol production capacity has reached to 426 crore liters in 2020-21 and 520 crore liters expected by March 2022.

    11. National Sugar Institute

        a. A MoU was signed between National Sugar Institute, Kanpur and National Sugar Development Council, Nigeria for setting up of a Sugar Institute at Nigeria and shall also to conduct training programmes for their faculty.

        b. Asian Sugar Conference 2020 was also organized by the Institute during the period. 

    12. Food Corporation of India

        a. Construction of Steel Silos: Silos with capacity of 1 LMT at Sangrur has been operational and put to use and railway siding has been completed at Barnala of 0.50 LMT.

        b. Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee Scheme (PEG): During the period from January 2020 to October 2020, capacity of 0.42 LMT has been constructed under PEG Scheme.

    13. Central Sector Scheme “Storage & Godowns” 2017-22: A capacity of 2500 MT has been materialized/created and put to use at Churachandpur under RO Manipur by FCI. At Zunhebhoto (5000 MT capacity), Nagaland under Central Sector Scheme “Storage & Godown” land measuring 2.99 acres has been taken over on lease.

    14. Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)

        a. CWC is in the process of installing CCTV surveillance system in a phase-wise manner. 387 locations have already been covered under CCTV surveillance system.

        b. 14 Central Warehouses have been got declared to function as Market sub-yards and be linked with eNAM facility in Telangana besides 23 already declared in AP.

        c. 24 warehouses notified as Trade Area in Haryana under the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020. 01 Warehouse in Puducherry also got declared as Trade Area.

        d. Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility inaugurated inTuticorin in Oct, 2020 on the lines of facility being operated at Tiruvottiyur.

        e. The four new warehouse opened under Guwahati Region- i) Assam - Azara open yard – 8333 MT (Open Const.) ii) Manipur - Bishnupur – 333 MT (Hired), iii) Manipur – Khabesoi – 2083 MT (Open Hired) and Guwahati – Jonai – 2334 MT (Hired).

    15. Central Railside Warehouse Company Limited

        a. Additional Railside Warehouse Complex (RWC) at Fatuha (Bihar) with warehousing capacity of 20400 MT was commissioned in the month of July and operations have started. 

        b. The construction of RWC at Mancheshwar (Odisha) with warehousing capacity of 9500 MT was started in Oct. 2020 which is expected to be completed by Sept. 2021. 

        c. The approval for development of two more Railside Warehouse Complexes at Gandhidham (Gujarat) of 15000 MT capacity and at Sankrail (West Bengal) of 13500 MT capacity has been received from Railways.

        d. The mechanization of handling operations has been commenced at RWC Shakurbasti by installation of 10 conveyor belt machines and mechanized sweeping was also started at this warehouse.

        e. E-payment gateway has been implemented through HDFC for ease of business for the customers. The payments are received from the payment gateways. All payment are also being made through digital mode.

        f. CRWC has received approval from Arunachal Pradesh state Govt. for setting up of Farm Gate Logistics at three places with 100% financial assistance from the State Govt.

        g. Storage of fully compressed cotton bales for Cotton Corporation of India was started in Nov. 2020 giving additional revenue to CRWC.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)