**Executive Summary**
This document provides answers to unstarred question no. 851 in Lok Sabha regarding the Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice Scheme, scheduled for February 4th, 2026. It addresses the administrative jurisdiction of the scheme, unilateral transfer of responsibilities, handling of complaints regarding alleged diversion of wheat and rice, and corrective steps taken by the Government.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Scheme Overview and Responsibilities:**
* The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) launched the Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice scheme to provide wheat flour and rice at affordable rates through cooperative organizations.
* DFPD is responsible for allocating quantities of wheat and rice to these organizations, issuing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and setting the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for sale of these products.
* **Operationalization:**
* The retail sale of Bharat Atta and Bharat rice is operationalized by central cooperative organizations such as NAFED, NCCF, and Kendriya Bhandar.
* These organizations fall under the administrative jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Consumer Affairs, and Department of Personnel & Training, respectively.
* **Internal Logistics and Monitoring:**
* Internal logistics and process improvements of cooperative organizations fall under the purview of their respective Ministries/Departments.
* The Departments have been requested to review and monitor the Track-and-Trace mechanism for the supply of Bharat brand products and conduct periodic supply chain reviews.
* **Complaint Handling:**
* Complaints related to the scheme received by the Department of Personnel and Training were examined based on inputs from Kendriya Bhandar.
* Complaints were also forwarded to the Vigilance Wing, headed by the Chief Vigilance Officer of Kendriya Bhandar, for necessary action.
* Multiple layers of audit (statutory, concurrent, and internal) conducted by various agencies have not found any irregularity in the implementation of the schemes by Kendriya Bhandar.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD)**
* **Impact:** Retains administrative jurisdiction over the Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice Schemes, including allocation, SOP issuance, and MRP setting.
* **Action Required:** Continue to oversee and manage the allocation, SOP, and MRP for the schemes.
**Stakeholder: Central Cooperative Organizations (NAFED, NCCF, Kendriya Bhandar)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the retail sale of Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice.
* **Action Required:** Operationalize the retail sale of Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice and cooperate with the Track and Trace Mechanism.
**Stakeholder: Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Consumer Affairs, and Department of Personnel & Training**
* **Impact:** Responsible for overseeing and providing administrative support to respective cooperative organizations.
* **Action Required:** Review and monitor Track-and-Trace mechanisms and conduct periodic reviews of supply chain management for retail sales of Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice.
Key Entities Referenced
Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice Scheme: Scheme to provide wheat flour and rice at affordable rates to general consumers through sale by cooperative organizations.
Department of Food and Public Distribution (DoFPD): Administrative department responsible for the Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice schemes; allocates quantities of wheat and rice, issues SOPs and MRPs.
Kendriya Bhandar: One of the central cooperative organizations involved in the retail sale of Bharat Atta and Bharat rice. Subject of complaints regarding diversion of wheat and rice.
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd.(NAFED): Central cooperative organization involved in the retail sale of Bharat Atta and Bharat rice.
National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF): Central cooperative organization involved in the retail sale of Bharat Atta and Bharat rice.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 851
TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH FEBRUARY, 2026
BHARAT ATTA AND BHARAT RICE SCHEME
f 851. SHRI RAJESH RANJAN:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
be pleased to state:
(a): whether the Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice Schemes come under the administrative
jurisdiction of the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DoFPD);
(b): if so, whether any Department can unilaterally transfer or relinquish its statutory and
administrative responsibilities relating to allocation, distribution, monitoring and grievance
redressal to another Department;
(c): if not, the reasons for referring the complaints regarding alleged diversion of wheat and
rice by Kendriya Bhandar to DoFPD instead of examining and resolving them;
(d): whether DoPT has taken any concrete action on such complaints and if so, the details
thereof; and
(e): the proposed corrective steps taken by the Government to ensure that the complaints
relating to allocation, distribution and diversion of subsidized foodgrains are dealt with by
DoFPD in accordance with the Work Allocation Rules?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a): Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) launched Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice
with the objective to provide atta (wheat flour) and rice at affordable rates to general consumers
through sale by cooperative organizations. The areas of responsibility of DFPD in regard to Bharat
Atta and Bharat Rice are allocation of quantities of wheat and rice to these organizations, issue of
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for sale of these products.
The retail sale of Bharat Atta and Bharat rice is operationalized by central cooperative
organizations, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd.(NAFED),
National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF) and Kendriya Bhandar
under the administrative jurisdiction of Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
Department of Consumer Affairs and Department of Personnel & Training, respectively.(b) and (c): As the internal logistics and process improvements of central cooperative
organizations fall within the purview of the respective administrative Ministries/Departments, the
Departments have been requested to review and monitor the Track-and-Trace mechanism put in
place by these organisations for supply ofBharat brand products. The Departments have also been
asked to undertake periodic review of supply chain management of retail sales of Bharat Atta and
Bharat Rice.
(d) and (e): The complaints received in D/o Personnel and Training related to the scheme of
Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice were examined based on the inputs received from Kendriya Bhandar
and were also forwarded to the Vigilance Wing, headed by the Chief Vigilance Officer of Kendriya
Bhandar for necessary action. Kendriya Bhandar has informed that multiple layers of audit viz.
statutory audit, concurrent audit and internal audit conducted by various agencies have not found
any kind of irregularity in the implementation of the schemes by Kendriya Bhandar.
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