Lok Sabha Question No. 4518 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: SMART-PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Balram Naik Porika

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4518

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH AUGUST, 2025

## SMART-PDS

## 4518 SHRI BALRAM NAIKPORIKA:

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

- (a) the details of major initiatives and schemes  undertaken by the Ministry  over the last five years to ensure the availability, accessibility  and affordability of essential commodities  for consumers across the country;
- (b) the progress and impact  of the Scheme for  Modernisation  and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART-PDS) and its nationwide rollout status including  the expected timeline  for  full  deployment;
- (c) the data on the procurement offoodgrains under Minimum  Support Price (MSP)  operations and the number of farmers benefited during the last three years, year-wise; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government  to improve transparency, efficiency  and grievance redressal mechanisms within  the Public  Distribution  System (PDS) including  the implementation of the 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The  National Food  Security  Act,  2013  (NFSA) is  being  implemented in  all  the  States/UTs aims to supplement the food requirements of  upto 75% of the rural and upto 50% of the urban population, which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crore persons. While  Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households, which constitute poorest of the poor are entitled to  35 kg of  foodgrains, per household per month, Priority Households (PHH) are entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month free of  cost. The  Coverage  under the Act  is  substantially  high  to  ensure that  all  the vulnerable  and needy sections of  the  society get its  benefit. At  present, against  the  intended coverage of 81.35 crore, 80.56 crore beneficiaries are receiving foodgrains  free of  cost.

The Central Government, in order to remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries and to ensure nationwide  uniformity and effective  implementation  of the programme for  support of the  poor, had decided to  provide food grains free of  cost to  Antyodaya Anna Yojana (A AY) households and Priority  Households (PUN) beneficiaries, beginning from  lst  January 2023 under the NFSA. The period for distribution of free of cost foodgrains has been extended for five years from  lst  January, 2024, with  an estimated financial  outlay of  Rs. 11.80 lakh crore totally  to  be borne by Central Government.

Government of  India also sells surplus food grains (Wheat &  Rice), beyond the public Distribution System (PDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) requirements, through open sale under Open Market Sales Scheme (Domestic) {OMMSS(D)}. This helps increase the availability of  foodgrains in  the market,  control  inflation, ensure food security and make foodgrains more affordable  for the general population.  In addition,  Bharat  Atta and Bharat Rice were launched on 06.11.2023 and 06.02.2024, respectively, with a view  to provide atta (wheat flour)  and rice to general consumers at subsidized rates under OMISS(D) policy.

(b): The Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in  Public Distribution  System  (SMART-PDS) Scheme envisages to  strengthen the technology infrastructure in  Public Distribution System (PDS) to  lead the technology driven reforms and transformative change in  the entire PDS ecosystem covering NFSA  and State schemes. Thus, SMART-PDS is launched to sustain the Information Technology-led  Reforms to be brought in the functioning of  PDS Operations  by overcoming the state level technological limitations of PDS operations in all States/UTs in respect of IT Hardware, Software and to institutionalize an  integrated Central  System  covering  all  PDS related operations across all States/UTs. Under the Scheme, four modules viz. (i)  Food Grains Procurement,  (ii)  Supply Chain Management/ Allocation  of  Grains, (iii)  Ration Cards Management System  &  Fair Price Shop Management and (iv)  Biometric Based Grains Distribution Module (eKYC) are being developed and to be implemented in  phases. At  present, the SMART-PDS  is in development phase and the application  is expected to be launched in phases by December 2025.

(c): The information relating to  procurement  of  wheat and paddy for the last three years and current year is at Annexure-l. A statement showing Procurement of coarse grains is Annexure-II and a statement showing number of  farmers benefited for coarse grains in last three-years is at Annexu re-III

(d): Under Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms, ration cards/beneficiaries  database have been  completely (100%) digitized in all States/UTs,  transparency portal and  online grievance redressal facility/Toll-free number have been implemented in  all  States/UTs. Further online allocation  has been implemented in  all  States/UTs (except UTs of  Chandigarh, Puducherry and urban areas of  Dadra &  Nagar Haveli  which  have adopted DBT Cash Transfer scheme) and supply chain has been computerized  in  31 States/UTs. Presently, 99.8% ration cards are seeded with Aadhaar number at national level and almost all  FPSs have been automated by  installation of  ePoS devices for the distribution of  food-grains in a transparent manner (electronically) through biometric  /Aadhaar authentication  of NFSA  beneficiaries.  Further, One Nation  One Ration Card

(ONORC) for portability of Ration Cards is implemented in all 36 States/UTs, across the country, covering 100% NFSA beneficiaries.

Helpline number 1967/1800-State series number is operational in all the States/ UTs for contacting and redressal of  the complaints in Public Distribution System and filing  any type of complaints by the  intended beneficiaries. As  and  when complaints, including corruption and embezzlement in the PDS, are received in this Department from any source, they are sent to State/ UT Governments concerned for inquiry  and appropriate action

Se gcSeS: Se

## Annexure-I

## Statement showing procurement of wheat and paddy for the last three years and current  year Paddy Procurement, MSP value and Farmers Benefitted data

|                       |   Proc. of Paddy (in LMT) | Value at MSP (Rs Ln crore)   | Number of Farmers Benefitted   |
|-----------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| 2021-22               |                    857.3  | 168031.12                    | 12679650                       |
| 2022-23               |                    808.45 | 166540.91                    | 12497077                       |
| 2023-24               |                    782.25 | 172329.35                    | 10658233                       |
| 2024-25 to 11.08.2025 |                    811.05 | 188 162.89                   | 11 4984 13                     |

## Wheat Procurement, MSP value and Farmers Benefitted data

|         |   Proc. of wheat (in LMT) |   Value at MSP (Rs in crore) |   Number of Farmers Benefitted |
|---------|---------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| 2022-23 |                    187.92 |                      37866.1 |                        1783192 |
| 2023-24 |                    261.97 |                      55668.5 |                        2134458 |
| 2024-25 |                    266.05 |                      60526.8 |                        2248725 |
| 2025-26 |                    300.35 |                      72834.1 |                        2513143 |

## STATEMENT SHOWING PROCUREMENT OF COARSEGRAINS

## Annexu re-II

(Position as on- 04.08.2025)

| KMS       | I COMMODITY    | A.P.    | GUJ      | I HAR   | 1 KAR   | M.P.   | MAH.     | U.P    | Odisha   | } U.I<hand   | TN   | TOTAL PROC (MT)   | MSP (Rs./qtt)   | MSP Value (in crore)   |
|-----------|----------------|---------|----------|---------|---------|--------|----------|--------|----------|--------------|------|-------------------|-----------------|------------------------|
| 2021-22   | JOWAR(Kharif)  |         |          |         | 103920  | 32393  | 20262    | 0      |          |              |      | 156575            | 2738            | 428.70                 |
| 2021-22   | iOWAR(Rabi)    |         |          |         | 0       | 0      | 0        | 0      |          |              |      | 0                 | 2738            | 0.00                   |
| 2021-22   | BAJRA          |         | 7284     |         | 0       | 5400   | 567      | 0      |          |              |      | 13251             | 2250            | 29.81                  |
| 2021-22   | MAIZE{Kha rif) |         | 389      |         | 0       | 0      | 19615    | 2763   |          |              |      | 22767             | 1870            | 42.57                  |
| 2021-22   | MAIZE(Rabi)    |         |          |         | 0       | 0      | 0        | 0      |          |              |      | 0                 | 1870            | 0.00                   |
| 2021-22   | RAG I          |         |          |         | 404784  | 0      | 253      | 0      | 32302    |              |      | 437339            | 3377            | 1476.89                |
| 2021-22   | Total          |         | 7673     |         | 508703  | 37793  | 40697    | 2763   | 32302    |              |      | 629931            |                 | 0.00                   |
| 2022-23   | JOWAR          |         | 0        |         | 76897   | 258    | 1378     | 0      |          |              |      | 78533             | 2970            | 233.24                 |
| 2022-23   | iOWAR(Rabi)    | 3621    | 685      | I       | O       | O 0    | 1 : 2358 | 0      |          |              |      | 6664              | 2970            | 19.79                  |
| 2022-23   | BAI RA         |         | 766      | [ 81147 | 0       | 0      | 10       | 43437  |          |              |      | 125360            | 2350            | 294.60                 |
| 2022-23   | BAJRA(Rabi)    |         | 56645    |         | -L 0    | 0      | 0        | 0      |          |              |      | 56645             | 2350            | 133.12                 |
| 2022-23   | MAIZE          |         | 0        |         | 0       | 0      | 48       | 0      |          |              |      | 48                | 1962            | 0.10                   |
| 2022-23   | MAIZE(Rabi)    |         | 197      |         | 0       | 0      | 12877    | 0      |          |              |      | 13074             | 1962            | 25.65                  |
| 2022-23   | RAG I          | 4       | 0        |         | 454404  | 0      | 636      | 0      |          | 1186         | 515  | 456745            | 3578            | 1634.23                |
| 2022-23   | Total          | 3625    | 58293    | 81147   | 531301  | 258    | 17308    | 43437  |          | 1186         | 515  | 737069            |                 | 0.00                   |
| 2023-24   | JOWAR          | 1 24466 |          |         | 85402   |        | 462      | 13340  |          |              |      | 123670            | 3180            | 393.27                 |
| 2023-24   | JOWAFI(Rabi)   | 4903    | 2946     |         | 105019  |        | 86624.9  |        |          |              |      | 199493            | 3180            | 634.39                 |
| 2023-24   | BAIRA          |         | 33359    | 231334  |         |        |          | 355038 |          |              |      | 619731            | 2500            | 1549.33                |
| 2023-24   | }AJRA(Rabi)    |         | 76726.45 |         |         |        |          |        |          |              |      | 76726             | 2500            | 191.82                 |
| 2023-24   | MAIZE          |         |          |         |         |        | 25       | 4451   |          |              |      | 4476              | 2090            | 9.35                   |
| 2023-24   | MAIZE(Rabi)    |         |          |         |         |        | 56       |        |          |              |      | 56                | 2090            | 0.12                   |
| 2023-24   | RAG I          | 376     | 0.75     |         | 226576  |        | 189      | 0.7    |          | 1889         | 1889 | 230920            | 3846            | 888.12                 |
| 2023-24   | Total          | 29745   | 113032.2 | 231334  | 416997  |        | 87357    | 372830 |          | 1889         | 1889 | 1255073           |                 | 0.00                   |
| 2024- 25+ | JOWAR          |         | 27       |         | 115351  | 908    | 937      | 46942  |          |              |      | 164165            | 3371            | 553.40                 |
|           |                | 35402   | 5300     |         | 78676   |        | 59534    |        |          |              |      | 178912            | T---[           | 0.00                   |
|           | BNRA           |         | 3818     | 156000  |         |        |          | 101311 |          |              |      | 261129            | r 2625          | 685.46                 |
|           | BAJRA(Rabi)    |         | 82223    |         |         |        |          |        |          |              |      | 82223             |                 | 0.00                   |
|           | MAIZE          |         |          |         |         |        | 1        |        |          |              |      | 1                 | 2225            | 0.00                   |
|           | MAIZE(Rabi)    |         | 118      |         |         |        | 51       | 19312  |          | 3139         | 3662 | 19481 393323      | 4290 4290       | 0.00 1687.36           |
|           | RAG I          | 205     | 5        |         | 346079  |        | 233      |        | 40000    |              |      | 902               | 1               |                        |
|           | RAGI (Rabi) o  | 902     | 9        | 0       |         | 908    | 60756    | 167565 | 40000    | 3139         | 3662 | 1100136           |                 | 0.00                   |

## Statement showing  number of farmers  benefited for coarse grains  in last three-years

## Number of Farmers benefited for coarse grains (as on 30.o6.2025)

| KMS        | Commodity   | Gujarat   | Karnata k a   | M.P.   | Maharashtra   | Odisha   | U.P    | Tamil nadu   | I Haryana   | Uttrakhan d   | I Andhra 1 Pradesh   |
|------------|-------------|-----------|---------------|--------|---------------|----------|--------|--------------|-------------|---------------|----------------------|
| 2021-22    | Jowar       |           | 23,331        | 7,870  | 10,161        |          |        |              |             |               |                      |
| 2021-22    | Baj ra      | 3,063     |               | 1,467  | 480           |          |        |              |             |               |                      |
| 2021-22    | Maize       | 148       |               |        |               |          | 704    |              |             |               |                      |
| 2021-22    | Ragi        |           | 2,67,076      |        |               | 41,286   |        |              |             |               |                      |
| 2021-22    | Total       | 3,211     | 2.90,407      | 9,337  |               | 41,286   | 704    |              |             |               |                      |
| 2022-23    | Jowar       | 223       | 16,873        | 72     | 481           |          |        |              |             |               | 538                  |
| 2022-23    | Baj ra      | 12081     |               |        | 4             |          | 8532   |              | 27,919      |               |                      |
| 2022-23    | Maize       | 31        |               |        | 12            |          |        |              |             |               |                      |
| 2022-23    | Ragi        | 0         | 3,04,537      |        | 786           |          |        | 332          |             | 4,860         | 4                    |
| 2022-23    | Total       | 12335     | 3,21,410      | 72     |               |          | 8.532  | 332          | 27,919      | 4,860         | 542                  |
| 2023-24    | Jowar       | 728       | 10,819        |        |               |          | 2,787  |              |             |               |                      |
| 2023-24    | Bajra       | 22,030    |               |        |               |          | 66,903 |              | 1.32,228    |               |                      |
| 2023-24    | Maize       |           |               |        |               |          | 908    |              |             |               |                      |
| 2023-24    | Ragi        | 1         | 1,10,808      |        |               |          |        | 1,055        |             | 7.457         |                      |
| 2023-24    | Total       | 22759     | 1,21,627      |        |               |          | 70,598 | 1.055        | 1,32, 228   |               |                      |
| 2024- 25++ | Jowar       | 600       | 17,000        |        |               |          | 8,000  |              |             |               |                      |
| 2024- 25++ | Baj ra      | 8,630     |               |        |               |          | 70,000 |              | 90,000      |               |                      |
| 2024- 25++ | Maize       | 100       |               |        |               |          | 10,000 |              |             |               |                      |
| 2024- 25++ | Ragi        | 5         |               |        | 220           |          |        | 9,600        |             | 7,500         |                      |
| 2024- 25++ | Total       | 2         |               |        | 2,470         |          | 88,000 |              | 90,000      | 7,500         |                      |

Note- Information  as provided by State governments in their  procurement  proposals.

#The total farmers likely to be benefitted during KMS 2024-25(Kharif & Rabi) is 24380 including 15000 farmers for Rabi crop for which crop-wise break up of farmers benefited data has not been provided by Gujarat.

** The number of likely farmers to be benefitted during KMS 2024-25(kharif crop) and KMS 2024-25 (Rabi) as per the procurement plan submitted by the State Government .

## Annexu re-III