Lok Sabha Question No. 2268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Subsidized Foodgrains under PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2268

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12TH MARCH, 2025

## SUBSIDIZED FOODGRAINS UNDER PDS

## 2268. SHRI BIDYUT  BARAN MAHATO:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  steps being  taken  by  the  Government  to  address the  increasing concerns regarding the  quality  and availability  of  subsidized foodgrains under the Public Distribution  System (PDS) especially in rural and remote areas;
- (b) whether any measures has been taken and implemented by the Government to regulate market prices and prevent exploitation of  consumers in  the current economic climate in view of rise in consumer grievances regarding unfair pricing and hoarding of essential commodities  and if  so, the details thereof;  and
- (c) the current status of the 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme and its impact on migrant workers, particularly  in ensuring access to foodgrains and other essential  services in the wake of the pandemic and economic disruptions?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The Department has formulated  and issued a Quality  Control  Manual,  to uniformly maintain the quality  standards of  foodgrains from  procurement to  its  distribution to  the eligible beneficiaries through various social security programmes of GoI.

In addition, a State Level Committee has been constituted in each State for monitoring and coordinating on quality related matters in respect to central pool food grains. Further, Quality  Management System (QMS)  portal has been implemented in FCI and the Department under which  all quality  control/inspection  related activities  are digitised leading to greater reliability  and accuracy of data.

Further, the Public Distribution System is governed as per the provisions of the National Food Security Act,  2013. The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population, which at Census 2011 comes to  81.35 crore persons. Government of India is distributing  free of cost ration under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojan  (PMGKAY)  to entitled beneficiaries regularly through more than 5.46 lakh Fair Price Shops.

- (b): The Department of Food and Public Distribution  closely monitors international and domestic process as well as price trends of edible oils, wheat, rice and other essential commodities in weekly meetings. Further, the Government of India sells foodgrains (wheat and rice) beyond the Public  Distribution System (PDS) and Other  Welfare  Schemes (C)WS) requirements, through open sale under Open Market Sales Scheme (Domestic). This helps increase the availabjlity  of  foodgrains in the market, control  inflation,  ensure food security and make foodgrains more affordable for general population.

In addition to this, Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice were also launched on 06.11.2023 and 06.02.2024 respectively with  a view to provide atta and rice to general consumers at subsidized rates.

In  addition, for  wheat, stock limit  restrictions have also been imposed to  avoid hoarding and to control  retail  prices in domestic market.

- (c): The nation-wide portability  of  ration cards has been enabled in  all  36 States/UTs (across the country) under One Nation  One Ration  Card (ONORC)  plan, which  ensures the food security of more than 80 Crore PMGKAY  beneficiaries in the country. ONORC plan is proving to be very beneficial to the beneficiaries who frequently change their place of dwelling in search of temporary employments, migrant labours, internally displaced persons (IDPs) etc. Under the plan, the beneficiaries are empowered to get their entitled  foodgrain 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

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