Shillong: The state government told the House during the Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Assembly that the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department has been in continuous dialogue with the Government of India, requesting an increase in NFSA coverage for the state.
“Given the significant population growth and the outdated nature of the SECC 2011 data, it is imperative that the Government of India consider revising the coverage limits to accommodate the current needs of the state,” Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Comingone Ymbon told the Meghalaya Assembly on Wednesday.
Ymbon was replying to the Calling Attention Motion raised by the Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar regarding Domtynrong village, where the residents have not received food grains under the Public Distribution System for years now.
The Minister told the House that this issue not only highlights an administrative challenge but also reveals the underlying systemic challenges that the state has faced in the implementation of the various government schemes, including the National Food Security Act, which is a key welfare scheme aimed at ensuring food security for citizens, especially those in vulnerable communities.
“The fact that Domtynrong village has been excluded from receiving food grains is deeply concerning and demands a thorough examination of the factors that contributed to this situation, the steps taken by the state government to address it, and the path forward,” he said.
Ymbon said that the circumstances that have led to this situation are complex and rooted in a combination of administrative challenges, and systemic constraints.
The Food and Civil Supplies Minister said that the issue dates back to the enumeration process conducted under the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, which was conducted through the Department of Community and Rural Development.
During this process, Domtynrong village was mistakenly classified as uninhabited, leading to its exclusion from the NFSA beneficiary list. He said that the SECC 2011 data serves as the foundational database for identifying beneficiaries under the NFSA by applying specific inclusion and exclusion parameters to ensure that the most vulnerable sections of society receive the benefits they are entitled to.
However, the Minister said that due to the inaccurate classification of Domtynrong, the village was left out of this critical welfare scheme. Ymbon said that although he understands that the exclusion has had a profound impact on the residents of Domtynrong, depriving them of their entitlements, the situation was further compounded by the challenges because the government has to maintain the integrity of the data that was received from the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.
“Also, there is an issue of not being able to accommodate more beneficiaries after the receipt of the database, whereby the fixed allotment ceiling set by the Government of India has limited the State Government’s ability to address the issue without exceeding the NFSA coverage limits,” the Minister told the House.
Ymbon said that despite efforts and procedures completed, over the years, the inclusion of Domtynrong village in the NFSA beneficiary list has been hindered by the fixed allocation ceiling imposed by the Government of India.
He told the House that the Government of India has maintained that the state has already reached its NFSA ceiling based on the SECC 2011 data, and any changes to the coverage would have to wait until the next census, and the delay in conducting the new census was compounded with the COVID-19 pandemic. “The primary challenge in resolving this issue lies in the constraints imposed by the fixed allocation ceiling for NFSA beneficiaries, as determined by the Government of India,” the Minister said.
According to him, the State of Meghalaya, with a rural coverage of 77.79% and urban coverage of 50.87%, has reached its ceiling based on the SECC 2011 data. “Despite repeated requests by the State Government to increase the coverage under the NFSA to accommodate the growing population and address discrepancies such as those faced by Domtynrong village, the Government of India has maintained that any changes to the coverage would have to wait until the next census,” he said.
Ymbon also expressed that the SECC 2011 data, while valid at the time of its collection, is now outdated and does not accurately reflect the current demographic realities of the state.
According to him, since 2011, Meghalaya has experienced significant population growth, with the projected population of 2023 estimated to be around 38.16 lakh, compared to the 29.17 lakh recorded in SECC 2011. “This population growth has resulted in an increased demand for food grains under the NFSA, further straining the existing allocation limits,” the Minister said.
Additionally, he said that the digitisation of data and the introduction of online allotment mechanisms for NFSA beneficiaries have created an efficient technological solution, but it comes with administrative challenges in rectifying omissions such as the one faced by Domtynrong village.
Ymbon said that while these technological advancements have improved transparency and efficiency in the distribution of food grains, they have also made it difficult to tamper or incorporate new beneficiaries without exceeding the ceiling set by the Government of India.
In light of these challenges, the Department has undertaken several initiatives to address the issue and ensure that the genuine citizens receive their rightful entitlements under the National Food Security Act.
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