An evaluation study on functioning of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in six selected States namely, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal was awarded to the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in March 2014 and final report was accepted in the Department in November, 2015.  Based on 2011 census and the family size estimates projected over 2015, the study has estimated the number of excess ration cards made in the six target States as per details given below:  

This information was given by the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

  The Minister said that detection and deletion of fake cards does not mean reduction in allocation and savings in subsidy but results in selection of deserving beneficiaries and issuance of ration cards to them leading to better targeting of subsidy.

  He said that with an aim to strengthen the TPDS and to curb diversion/leakage, a Nine Point Action Plan was evolved in July 2006 and forwarded to State/UT Governments for implementation by them.  The various points of action included undertaking of campaign by State Governments for review of Below Poverty Line (BPL) / Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) lists, to eliminate ghost ration cards.

  He added that further, in terms of the PDS (Control) Order, 2001, dated 31.08.2001, State/UT Governments are to review the lists of BPL and AAY families every year for the purpose of deletion of ineligible families and inclusion of eligible families. The exercise of deletion of bogus/ineligible cards and inclusion of eligible families is a continuous process and State Governments are to periodically carry out the same.  The TPDS (Control) Order, 2015 notified on 20.03.2015 also calls for all the necessary action to be taken by State/UT Governments for review of list of beneficiaries and deletion of bogus /ineligible ration cards. 

  The Minister said that as a result of implementation of Nine Point Action Plan since July 2006, 30 State/UT Governments have reported up to 30.06.2015, deletion of 494.50 lakhs bogus / ineligible ration cards.

  He said that in a continuous endeavour to strengthen and streamline TPDS, the Government has initiated implementation of a plan scheme on ‘End-to-end Computerisation of TPDS Operations’ during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) to ensure transparency and check leakages in the TPDS system.  Under the scheme, financial assistance is being provided to States/UTs on cost sharing basis. The cost is being shared on 90:10 basis with North East States and on 50:50 basis with other States/UTs.  Under this scheme, as per reports received, as on 31.10.2015, ration card data digitization has been done in 29 States/UTs, ration card data is available on Web Portal in 27 States/UTs, Online allocation is being done in 16 States/UTs, supply-chain management in 8 States/UTs, Transparency Portal set up in 27 States/UTs, online Grievance Redressal Mechanism in 26 and toll free helpline number has been set up in 32 States/UTs.  

  He added that as part of beneficiary data digitization, States/UTs have been requested to seed the Aadhaar numbers wherever available so as to weed out the ineligible/bogus/duplicate beneficiaries. As part of Fair Price Shop (FPS) automation at FPS, use of Aadhaar will ensure proper identification of beneficiaries and distribution of foodgrains only to the intended beneficiaries thereby reducing leakage / diversion, etc.

  To curb leakages further, under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) inter alia, States/UTs have been asked to either do cash transfer of food subsidy under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) or install electronic Point of Sale Device (ePoS) at the FPSs. 

The number of bogus/ineligible rations cards deleted by the State/UT for the last three years and current year

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NCJ/NN