Lok Sabha Question No. 4423 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Implementation of the PDS in Maharashtra
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh, Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Smt. Supriya Sule, Shri Sanjay Dina Patil, Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4423

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH AUGUST, 2025

## IMPLEMENTATION  OF THE PDS IN MAHARASHTRA

## 4423 DR. AMOL RAMSIN(, KOLHE:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL DHAIRYASHEEL RAJSINH:

SMT. SUPRIYA SULE:

PROF. VARSHA EKNATH GAIKWAD:

SHRI BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAG ARE:

SHRI SANJAY DINA PATIL:

Will  the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the present  status of implementation of the Public Distribution  System (PDS) in the State of Maharashtra  including  coverage of beneficiaries and commodities distributed;
- (b) the number of  Fair Price Shops (FPS) currently functional  in Maharashtra  and the total number of ration card holders benefiting  under the PDS ;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted  any evaluations to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the PDS in Maharashtra  and if so, the key findings thereof;
- (d) the steps taken to ensure timely  and transparent delivery offoodgrains  and essential commodities to beneficiaries in rural, tribal and urban areas of the said State;
- (e) whether any irregularities  have been reported in the PDS implementation  in Maharashtra in recent years and if so, the action taken thereon; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to increase the remuneration/commission of FPS dealers in light  of rising  inflation  and operating costs and if  so, the details thereoP

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a): The Public Distribution  System (PDS) is now governed as per the provisions of the National Food Security Act,  2013 (NFSA).  The Act  is being successfully implemented in all  the States/UTs including State of Maharashtra.  Under the Act, the maximum coverage of beneficiaries determined for  the State of Maharashtra is 76.32% of the rural and 45.34% of the urban population which at Census 2011  comes to  700.17 lakh  persons. The  State  of  Maharashtra has identified  the beneficiaries upto maximum permissible limit  i.e. 700.17 lakh persons.

The term 'foodgrains' is defined as rice, wheat or coarse grains or any combination thereof conforming to  such quality norms as may be determined, by order, by the Central Government from time to time.

(b): There are 59,819 number of  Fair Price Shops (FPS) and 1,67,41,854 number of  ration card in State of Maharashtra.

(c): This Department engaged  Monitoring  Institutions  (MIs)  of repute to undertake concurrent evaluation of the implementation of the Act in different States/UTs, including Maharashtra, for Phase-1 (2018-20) and Phase-I1 (2020-23). Reports and the findings submitted by the Mls  are available in public domain at 'https://nfsa.gov.in/portal/Concurrent  Evaluation'

(d): Under the joint  responsibility of the Central and State Government, the responsibility for identification  of  beneficiaries, issuance of  their  ration  cards and distribution  of  foodgrains as per their entitlement under the Act rests with  the concerned State Government

As part of the technology driven Targeted Public  Distribution  System  (TPDS) reforms, with the  aim  to  improve the  transparency  and  accountability in  the  TPDS,  ration  cards/beneficiaries database have been completely digitized  (100%) in  all  States/UTs. The transparency portal  and online grievance redressal facility/Toll-free number have been implemented in all  States/UTs. Also, online allocation has been implemented in all  States/UTs and supply chain has been computerized in 3 1 States/UTs (except UTs of  Chandigarh, Puducheny and Urban area of Dadra & Nagar Haveli which have  adopted  DBT Cash  Transfer scheme).  Further, for better  tracking of foodgrains distribution, nearly 5.41 Lakh (99.6%) out of total 5.43 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by installing  ePoS devices for the distribution  of  foodgrains in a transparent manner (electronically)  through biometric/  Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries.

(e): There is no report from State Government regarding any irregularities  in implementation of PDS in the State of Maharashtra

(f): The TPDS is  operated under the joint  responsibility of  the Central and the State/UT Governments. The operational responsibility including issuance of licenses to Fair Price Shops (FPSs), supervision and monitoring of the functioning of  Fair Price Shops etc., rest with  the concerned State/UT Government. As per sub-clause (7) of  clause 9 of  the TPDS (Control)  Order, 2015, the State Government shall fix  an amount as the fair  price shop owner's margin, which  shall be periodically reviewed  for  ensuring  sustained viability of  the fair  price  shop operations.

The Central Government has limited role in determining the actual rate of fair price shop dealers' margin/ commission/ honorarium etc.  The  Central Government only  provides the assistance to  States/UTs for  meeting the expenditure towards intra-State movement &  handling of foodgrains and fair price  shop dealers' margin under the NFS A,  in accordance with  the provisions of  Food Security (Assistance to  State Governments) Rules, 2015, (as amended from  time to  time) which  inter-alia provides for norms of expenditure and pattern of central sharing. In order to ensure viability  of  Fair Price Shops, the norms of  Central Assistance towards FPS Dealers' margin were enhanced w.e.f. April,  2022.

At  present, no proposal for  enhancement  of  FPS dealers' margin  is under consideration of the Government

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