Lok Sabha Question No. 2771 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Digitization Initiatives in PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Atul Garg, Shri Rajesh Verma, Dr. D. Purandeswari, Smt. Shambhavi, Dr. Lata Wankhede, Shri Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2771

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17Tll DECEMBER, 2025

## DIGITIZATION INITIATIVES IN PDS

2771. SHRI ATUL  GARG:

SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

DR. D. PURANDESWARI:

SMT. SHAMBHAVI:

DR. LATA  WANKHEDE:

SHRI MUKESHKUMAR  CHANDRAKAANT DALAL:

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

- (a): whether  the  Government  has  implemented  any  new  reforms  or  digitisation initiatives  in the Public Distribution System (PDS) this year and if so, the details thereof;
- (b): the details of  the technologies or  measures that have been adopted by the Government to improve transparency and reduce leakages in PDS;
- (c): the number of  beneficiaries which  have been provided ration  cards under these new processes, State-wise;
- (d): the  details  of  the  steps taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure adequate foodgrain supply and distribution  during recent shortages or crises; and
- (e): the manner in which the Government monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of  the PDS post these reforms?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

(a) &  (b): Present Status of modernization efforts of PDS by Department are as follows  -

- Ration cards/beneficiary's database have been completely digitized (100%) in  all States/UTs.
- Aadhaar seeding of 99.9% ration cards have been completed in the country.
- All  States/UTs have been regularly  urged to complete the eKYC  so that the benefits of the scheme reaches the entitled beneficiaries. The eKYC has been completed for 85.6 % beneflciaries
- Nearly 5.50 Lakh (99.8%) out of total 5.51 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by installing  ePoS devices for  the distribution  of  foodgrains through Aadhaar biometric authentication of beneficiaries.
- Introduction of  Anna Sahayata,  an  advanced  AI-enabled WhatsApp and  IVRS-based grievance redressal system, allowing  beneficiaries to  lodge complaints in  their  own language using these platforms.
- Mera Ration Mobile  App, which  enables beneficiaries to  check their entitlements, member and demographic  details,  last month's  distribution status, nearby  FPS location,  and to lodge grievances directly through the app
- Anna Mitra  mobile app enables the field  level functionaries as well  FPS dealers to run day to day PDS operations.
- For effective and efficient implementation of the distribution process,  the department has urged the States to integrate the ePOS devices in FPS with weighing scales.
- The Depot Darpan Portal has been launched for real-time monitoring,  self-assessment, and grading of  food  grain  storage depots, enhancing transparency, efficiency,  and security through loT  sensors,  CCTV, geotagged data, and Al  for evaluating infrastructure (safety, environment) and operations (profitability,  stock  loss). Launched by  the  Department of Food &  Public Distribution  (DFPD),  it provides performance ratings and drives continuous improvement in India's food security system.
- Anna Chakra -  PDS supply chain optimization tool  developed in  collaboration with  IIT Delhi  and WFP has been successfully deployed in  all  36 States/UTs. Tool has led to reduction in transportation costs and improved efficiency ·

•

(c): A statement showing number of ration cards and beneficiaries under NFS A (as on 01.12.2025) is at Annexure.

(d): Targeted Public  Distribution  System (TPDS)  under National  Food  Security Act  (NFS A), 2013 is operated under the joint  responsibility of the Central and the State/ Union  Territory (UT) Governments. Central Government is responsible for  procurement, allocation and transportation of foodgrains upto the designated depots of  the Food Corporation of  India  (FCI).  As  far  as the operational responsibility  is concerned, which  includes allocation within  State/UT, identification  of eligible families, issue of  Ration Cards, Aadhaar Seeding in  Ration Cards, distribution of foodgrains to eligible  beneficiaries and supervision of the functioning  of  Fair Price Shops etc., rests with the concerned State/UT Governments.

The total stock of  foodgrains (Rice and Wheat) in  the Central Pool as on 31.10.2025 is 643.18 Lakh MT  as against the Foodgrains Stocking Norms of 307.70 lakh MT,  which  is sufficient to meet the requirement under TPDS and OWS.

- (e): in  order to  strengthen the monitoring  of  NFS A  implementation and to  provide  a more indepth, incisive  and comprehensive empirical  evidence on regular basis, the Department Food and Public Distribution has engaged an agency for  conducting the concurrent evaluation of  the implementation of NFSA,  2013 during 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28.

9eRScSe Sea

## A statement showing number of ration card and beneficiaries 01.12.2025) under NFSA (as on

| State/UT                          | Total Ration Card in Central System   | Total Beneficiaries in Central System   |
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Andaman And Nicobar Islands       | 17,984                                | 61 ,310                                 |
| Andhra Pradesh                    | 88,37,945                             | 2,68,23,000                             |
| Arunachal Pradesh                 | 1 , 86,406                            | 8,71 ,000                               |
| Assam                             | 70,77, 343                            | 2,48,95,011                             |
| Bihar                             | 2,08,78,704                           | 8,48,62, 734                            |
| Chandigarh                        | 86,876                                | 3,56,478                                |
| Chhattisgarh                      | 56,28,790                             | 1 ,98,99,521                            |
| Dadar& Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu | 57,786                                | 3,56,000                                |
| Delhi                             | 17,46,316                             | 72,77,810                               |
| Goa                               | 1 ,30,328                             | 4,75,890                                |
| Gujarat                           | 75,97,713                             | 3,52,49,766                             |
| Haryana                           | 40,68,958                             | 1 ,26,49,000                            |
| Himachal Pradesh                  | 7,42,720                              | 28,42,496                               |
| Jammu And Kashmir                 | 16,58,981                             | 67,48,483                               |
| Jharkhand                         | 59,48,538                             | 2,55,21 ,540                            |
| Karnataka                         | 1 ,09,55,833                          | 4,01 ,93,000                            |
| Kerala                            | 42,68,528                             | 1 ,48,35,883                            |
| Ladakh                            | 28,959                                | 1 ,14,928                               |
| Lakshadweep                       | 5,434                                 | 22,000                                  |
| Madhya Pradesh                    | 1 ,31,86,413                          | 5,35,29,642                             |
| Maharashtra                       | 1 ,67,56,600                          | 6,79,85,242                             |
| Manipur                           | 5,80,530                              | 21 ,10,862                              |
| Meghalaya                         | 4, 16,731                             | 21,16,133                               |
| Mizoram                           | 1 ,79,506                             | 7,06,000                                |
| Nagaland                          | 3,28,595                              | 11,56,202                               |
| Odtsha                            | 97,00,719                             | 3,26,21 ,000                            |

| Puducherry     | 2,08,585      | 6 ,34, 000     |
|----------------|---------------|----------------|
| Punjab         | 40, 92,904    | 1 ,41 ,51 ,000 |
| Rajasthan      | 1 ,08,43,916  | 4,40,09,551    |
| Sikkim         | 96,787        | 3,77,540       |
| Tamil Nadu     | 1 , 17,15,736 | 3 ,64 ,69 ,345 |
| Telangana      | 56,59,826     | 1 ,91 ,39,226  |
| Tripura        | 6,01 ,364     | 23,38,214      |
| Uttarakhand    | 13,88,294     | 60,44,951      |
| Uttar Pradesh  | 3, 62,44,425  | 14,70,69,003   |
| West Bengal    | 1 ,37,44,745  | 6,00,09,791    |
| National Summa | 20,56,69,818  | 79,45,23,552   |