Parliament Question: Extra Grain Rice to Kerala

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2778 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17Tll DECEMBER, 2025 EXTRA GRAIN RICE TO KERALA

2778. SHRI V K SREEKANDAN:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

(a): whether it is a fact that the Union Government has not provided even a single extra grain of rice to the State of Kerala during the C)nam festival despite the State Government’s demand for extra allocation;

(b): if so, the reasons therefor;

(c): whether it is also true that the Union Government had denied additional allocation of foodgrains during Covid- 19 pandemic .and devastating flood in the State of Kerala;

(d): whether it is a fact that by denying extra or additional allocation of foodgrains the Union Government was trying to weaken the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the State; and

(e): whether the Union Government was not interested in alleviating the public hardships in the Kerala State? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a) & (b): Government of Kerala had requested an additional allocation of 5 kg of rice at Tide Over rates for Non-NFSA (National Food Security Act) cardholders for September 2025, for C)nam festival. The State was informed that additional quantities of rice may be availed through the Open Market Sales Scheme (Domestic) (OMSS-D) or under the extant policy guidelines governing additional allocations of food grains on account of festivals, natural calamities, and law & order situations.

(c): To ameliorate the hardships faced by the poor due to economic disruption caused by COVID-19 Pandemic, Government of India in March 2020 had announced the additional free-of-cost foodgrains to NFSA beneficiaries at the scale of 5 Kg per person per monthunder the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for all States/UTs including Kerala. The State of Kerala had sought additional quantities of rice for Non- NFSA families free of cost during the CC)VID-19 period over & above PMGKAY. It was clarified that no provision, policy, or rule exists for allocating foodgrains free of cost or at NFSA rates to Non-NFSA beneficiaries. However, considering the hardship during the pandemic, the State was advised to lift the required quantity under OMSS (D).

Subsequently, Kerala had also requested an additional 50,000 MT of foodgrains at NFSA rates in view of floods in 2021. The State was apprised to lift food grains as per extant guidelines governing additional allocation of food grains on account of festivals, natural calamities and law & order situations, to which no further communication was received from Kerala.

Govt. of Kerala has lifted 35365 MT Wheat & 145795 MT Rice under OMSS(D) from 2020-21 to 2025-26 (till date), as per following details: (in MTs) Year Wheat Rice ron-:21 35365 51280 2021 -22 0 80000 B-dm 0 0

BaT:27 0 1995 no 0 4394 t 8126 otal 145795

(d) & (e): No Sir. The Union Government has not denied the request of the Government of Kerala for additional allocation offoodgrains as stated above.

The Union Government remains fully committed to ensuring food security, extending necessary support to all States/UTs including Kerala, and addressing public hardships in accordance with the established guidelines and available resources.