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Source: The post is based on the article “Year-End- Review of Department of Food and Public Distribution– 2022” published in PIB on 12th December 2022
What is the News?
The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has released the achievements of the department during 2022.
What are the initiatives and achievements of the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) during 2022?
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) reforms: 100% ration cards/beneficiaries data have been digitized under NFSA in all States/UTs.
– About 99.8% Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country are automated using electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices for transparent and ensured distribution of subsidized foodgrains to beneficiaries.
Progress of One Nation One Ration Card plan: Starting with inter-State portability in just 4 States in August 2019, so far, the ONORC plan has been enabled in all 36 States/UTs (across the country) covering around 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries, i.e almost 100% NFSA population in the country.
Sugar Sector: India is the largest producer as well as consumer of sugar in the world.Today, Indian sugar industry’s annual output is about Rs 1,40,000 crore approximately.
Ethanol Blending Petrol Programme: Ethanol is an agro-based product which is used for blending with petrol as fuel and for many other industrial uses including manufacturing hand sanitizers. It is produced from a by-product of the sugar industry, namely molasses as well as starchy food grains.
– In years of surplus production of sugarcane, when prices are depressed, the sugar industry is unable to make timely payments of cane prices to farmers and to find a permanent solution to address the problem of excess sugar, the Government is encouraging sugar mills to divert excess sugarcane to ethanol.
— Government has fixed target of 10% blending of fuel grade ethanol with petrol by 2022 & 20% blending by 2025.
– Further, to meet the blending targets and to increase investment opportunities, the Government has introduced various Ethanol Interest Subvention Schemes from time to time, to encourage sugar mills and distilleries to enhance their ethanol production capacities.
– Moreover, keeping in view of molasses-based feed stocks constraints, the Government is also promoting ethanol production from various feedstocks such as maize, damaged food grains and rice available with FCI.
