Government ready to clear all food subsidy dues till 2019-20; says Piyush Goyal; states must submit data by 30 September, Union Minister says

The centre is ready to pay all food subsidy dues of the states up to 2019-20, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday while addressing a National Conference on Food Security and Nutrition.

He said that the states must provide all the required data on food subsidies and all dues will be cleared by 31 January, 2022 will be credited by the government.

States who will provide all the data along with supporting documents and audit reports by 15 August 2022, Centre will pay full dues for 2019-20 within 60 days, the Minister said. 

After certain states cited problems being faced by them, Centre said that the could send the data by 30 September 2022, the dues will be cleared by 31 January 2023.

He also warned the states that the Centre will not bear the interest cost in the event of delays on the part of states in sending data and resolving the paperwork.   
 
The Minister said that many states have been complaining about delays in the payment of food subsidies and that was not because of the delays done by the Centre. He pointed out deficiencies in the processes of the state including not providing proper and audited data.  

Not getting data on time from the states is the main reason behind subsidy arrears.

The Food and Public Distribution Minister also said that for claims subsequent to 2019-20, should be filed digitally and that will ensure efficiency and transparency on both sides.  

The Minister also expressed his displeasure over ministers from certain states choosing to skip the important conference. 

Many state ministers were not present in the important meeting held today between the Centre and the states on the subject of food and nutrition.

Ministers of many states including Telangana, Odisha, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Bengal, Arunachal, Andhra, Nagaland, and Assam, were not present at the meeting. Food and nutrition are serious subjects and the absence in such important discussions is not right, the Minister said. 

He said that the absence of the ministers from the said states has been "noted"  

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The Minister also unveiled state rankings index for the NFSA.

The Minister said that this is the first time that any such ranking has taken place and will happen every year.