Lok Sabha Question No. 4526 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Rising Prices of Essential Commodities
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Zia Ur Rehman

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Government of India Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4526

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025

## RISING PRICES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES

## 4526.  SHRI ZIA UR REHMAN:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  key  issues  such  as  rising  prices  of  essential  commodities, misleading advertisements, increasing consumer complaints in e-commerce and foodgrain distribution gaps under Public Distribution System (PDS);
- (b) if so, the details of the steps being taken by the Government to strengthen consumer rights, improve grievance  redressal  mechanisms,  ensure  price  stability,  regulate  online  platforms  and  streamline schemes  like  One  Nation  One  Ration  Card  and  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan  Anna  Yojana (PMGKAY); and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

(a) to (c) : Government monitors daily prices of 38 essential food commodities submitted by the 566 price monitoring  centres  across  the  country  and  keeps  a  close  watch  on  the  price  trends  for  taking  necessary measures  to  stabilise  prices.  As  per  the  data,  prices  of  essential  food  commodities  are  stable  and  under control. Government has taken several steps to strengthen consumer protection and empowerment, ensure stability in prices and improve Public Distribution System (PDS).

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 has  been  replaced  by  the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 to address challenges arising from globalization, new technologies, and e-commerce. The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 regulates e-commerce platforms and prohibit unfair trade practices. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued guidelines to prevent misleading advertisements, dark patterns  in  e-commerce  sector  and  unfair  practices  in  the  coaching  sector.  Toll-free  National  Consumer Helpline (NCH) No.1915 and the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM) are operational in 17  languages  to  facilitate  consumer  grievance  redressal.  Under  the  'Convergence'  programme,  1110 companies have partnered with NCH for direct resolution of consumer complaints. In a significant move to further  enhance  grievance  redressal,  NCH  has  introduced  AI-based  Speech  Recognition,  a  translation system, and AI enabled Chatbot as part of NCH 2.0 initiative. These technology upgradations ensure that consumers from diverse linguistic backgrounds have equal access to the grievance redressal system.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for redressal of the grievances of consumer through specialized  three-tier  quasi-judicial  agencies,  now  commonly  known  as  'National  Consumer  Disputes Redressal  Commissions  (NCDRC)'  at  National  level,  'State  Consumer  Disputes  Redressal  Commission (SCDRC)' at State  level,    and  'District  Consumer  Disputes  Redressal  Commission(DCDRC)'  at  District level.    The  Act  also  provides  for,  inter-alia,  simplification  of  the  adjudication  process  in  the  Consumer Commissions; filing of a complaint by a consumer in the Consumer Commission having jurisdiction with respect to his place of work/residence irrespective of place of transaction and place of business or residence of  the  opposite  parties,  e-filing  and  e-payment,  video  conferencing  for  hearing,  deemed  admissibility  of complaints if admissibility is not decided within 21 days of filing; court monitored mediation to facilitate early disposal of cases; provision of product liability. Provision for filing cases online through e-Daakhil has been introduced in NCDRC and Consumer Commissions of 35 States/UTs at the district and state level for speedy and hassle-free resolution of cases.

In order to tackle the volatility in prices, Government maintains buffer stocks of pulses and onion for market interventions through calibrated and targeted release to moderate the prices in the market. Part of the stock of pulses from the buffer were converted to dals for retail sale to the consumers at affordable prices under the Bharat Dal brand during 2023-24 and 2024-25. Similarly, atta and rice are distributed to retail consumers  under  Bharat  brand  at  subsidized  prices.  Onion  from  the  buffer  had  been  released  during September  to  December,  2024  in  a  calibrated  and  targeted  manner  to  moderate  prices  in  high  price consuming centres at wholesale markets and through retail outlets. Onions were distributed among retail consumers at Rs.35 per kg through stationary retail outlets and mobile vans in major consumption centres. These measures have helped in making essential food commodities available to the general consumers at affordable prices and helped in bring down the year-on-year food inflation rate to (-) 1.76% in July, 2025, lowest after January, 2019.

The  Public  Distribution  System  is  operated  under  the  joint  responsibility  of  the  Central  and  the State/UT  Governments.  The  Central  Government  is  responsible  for  the  procurement,  allocation,  and transportation of foodgrains up to the designated depots of the Food Corporation of India (FCI). As far as the operational responsibility is concerned, which includes allocation within the 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. There is no gap noticed in PDS.

The nationwide portability of ration cards is popularly known as the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) feature. Through this technology-driven reform, all PMGKAY beneficiaries are empowered to lift  their  entitled  foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice, anywhere in the country, by using their existing ration card with biometric authentication on an electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) device. The family back home can also lift the part of the PMGKAY foodgrains in the home State/UT on the same ration  card.  Currently,  the  ONORC  feature  is  enabled  in  all  36  States/UTs,  across  the  country,  covering 100% PMGKAY beneficiaries.

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