CAG raps govt as states lax on food law

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 29

Even two-and-half years after the National Food Security Act (NFSA) seeking to bring about changes in the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was rolled out, only 18 states have reported its compliance so far. 

The remaining states have not even reported their status of preparedness, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) today said as it rapped the Centre and the implementing states over a variety of shortcomings.

It criticised the Centre for extending the NFSA rollout thrice without Parliament’s approval since its implementation. It also came down heavily on the implementing states for not identifying beneficiaries in a systematic and scientific way. Some states merely re-stamped old ration cards as NFSA compliance and that also without providing for women empowerment, as laid down in the law, it said.

Ever since the NFSA came into force in September 2013, only 51 per cent of the eligible beneficiaries have been identified, while almost an equal number (49 per cent) are yet to be identified.

In its report tabled in Parliament today, the CAG picked holes in the way the beneficiaries were identified by early implementers, including Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra. Most implementing states did not identify the beneficiaries as per the laid down norms, thereby defeating its very purpose. They used old database for extending the benefits, it said.

The CAG has asked the Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry to issue guidelines in consultation with the states to identify beneficiaries in a transparent way. 

It blamed the Centre for failing to resolve issues raised by the states during the formulation phase and also after the enactment of the law. This led to a delay in the implementation of the Act that aims to provide foodgrain to 81.34 crore beneficiaries at highly subsidised rates.