Parliament Question: NFSA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2989 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5TH AUGUST, 2026 NFSA 2989 SHRI BHAJAN LAL JATAV: Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state: (a) whether the number of beneficiaries for States under the National Food Security Act (NFS A), 2013, has been capped based on old population data, as a result of which a large number of eligible families are currently deprived of benefits under the food security scheme and if so, the detaills thereof (b) the number of eligible families in Rajasthan whose applications are currently pending or who are not being provided ration under the NFS A due to the prescribed ceiling on beneficiaries having been reached along with the district-wise details of such pending applications and excluded eligible families in Karauli and Dholpur districts; and (c) whether the Government is contemplating to re-determine the ceiling of beneficiaries under the NFSA on the basis of the latest population data or permit States to include additional eligible families and if so, the details thereof along with the tentative timeline in this regard? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRINIATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBH Al BAMBHANIYA) (a): The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) is being successfully implemented in all the States/UTs. The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural and upto 50% of the urban population, which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crore persons. The Coverage under the Act is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy sections of society get its benefit. The States/UTs have identified only 79.08 Crore Persons (As on 08/07/2026), against the intended coverage of 81.35 crore persons. Still, there is a scope for identification of 2,27 crore more beneficiaries by the States/UTs, under the NFSA.(b): The Act provides for coverage of 69.09% of the rural and 53% of the urban population of Rajasthan, which at Census 201 1 comes out to a ceiling of 446.62 lakh persons. At present, against the intended coverage of 446.62 lakh persons, the State of Rajasthan has identified 438.43 lakh beneficiaries for distribution of free of cost foodgrains under the NFSA. Still, there is a scope fdr identification of 8.19 lakh more beneficiaries by the States/UTs, under the NFSA. (c): Under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State Governments, the responsibility for identification of beneficiaries, within the coverage determined for the State/UT and issuance of their ration cards rests with the concerned States/UTs. The Central Government has issued advisories to all the States/Union Territories from time to time to identify all eligible and poor persons/ households, including vulnerable Sections of society, for inclusion under the NFSA. States undertake updation of their beneficiary database so that ineligible ration cards get deleted, and better targeting of rightful beneficiaries is ensured. Thus, deletion of ineligible beneficiaries and addition of eligible beneficiaries under the Act is a contInuous process. $8888