Lok Sabha Question No. 782 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Foodgrain Distribution and PDS Digitisation in West Bengal
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Raju Bista

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

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 782

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## FOODGRAIN DISTRIBUTION AND PDS DIGITISATION  IN WEST BENGAL

## 782. SHRI  RA.JU BISTA:

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

- (a): the details of  funds and ration released to the State of  West Bengal since 2019 under various  schemes of  the Government;
- (b): the details of  ration  and quantum released in  West Bengal since 2019. district-wise particularly in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and North Dinajpur districts:
- (c): the details of  steps being taken by  the Government to ensure PDS digitization  in  West Bengal, such as Aadhaar linkage, inter-state portability  of ration cards for migrant workers and e-POS rollout particularly in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and North Dinajpur districts: and
- (d): the details of  the steps taken by  the Government to improve the last-mile delivery of foodgrains to  remote tea estates and villages,  particularly  in  difficult mountain terrain regions like Ddrjeeling and Kalimpong?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a)  and  (b): Department  of  Food  and  Public Distribution (DFPD) reimburses  the  expenditure incurred by States, that have opted for Decentralized Procurement (DCP) mode (including West Bengal) for distribution  of food-grains to the beneficiaries  of  Central Schemes  as per allocation made by Government of  India. The difference between Economic Cost and Central Issue Price (CIP),  at which  foodgrains are issued to  States, is reimbursed to  Food Corporation of  India (FCI) and DCP States as food subsidy. The food subsidy released to DCP States and FCI is made as per budgetary allocation made by MoF.  State wise funds are not allocated by MoF.  Also, funds are released by  DFPD  for  meeting  the  expenditure incurred by  States/UTs including  Govt  of  West Bengal on intra State movement and handling of  food grains and Fair Price Shops (FPS) dealers margin' for food grains distributed to beneficiaries. The details of funds released to West Bengal since 2019 onwards are as below:-

| Year     | Total     |
|----------|-----------|
| 2019-20  | 2194.86   |
| 2020-21  | 941 8.67  |
| 2021 -22 | 6 162.66  |
| 2022-23  | 7115.17   |
| 2023 -24 | 226.32    |
| 2024-25  | 9598.55   |
| 2025-26  | 11 977.00 |

The allocation of foodgrains by DFPD to all State/UTs is made on the basis of identification of beneficiaries reported by the State Government. The responsibility  of district  wise allocation of food grains rests with concerned State/UT. The details of allocation of  food grains to Govt of  West Bengal since FY  2019-20 onwards are as below:  -

(Quantity in thousand ton)

| Years    |    Rice |   Wheat |   Total |
|----------|---------|---------|---------|
| 20 19-20 | 2033.82 | 2364.5  | 4398.32 |
| 2020-21  | 3620.98 | 3265.87 | 6886.85 |
| 2021 -22 | 3403.66 | 4327.27 | 7730.93 |
| 2022-23  | 4654.28 | 2420.62 | 7074.9  |
| 2023 -24 | 2823.63 | 1588.25 | 4411.88 |
| 2024-25  | 2749.41 | 1711.47 | 4460.88 |
| 2025-26  | 2567.88 | 1781.86 | 4349.74 |

(c)  and (d): As  part of  digital effort to  bring in  transparency  and accountability, ration cards/beneficiaries database have  been completely  digitized  (100%)  in  all  States/UTs. Further, 99.9% ration  cards are Aadhaar seeded. This  system enables beneficiaries  to  receive their  full entitlement simply  by having their  Ration Card Number or Aadhaar Number entered into the ePOS device at FPS shops, followed by  biometric authentication through fingerprint or  iris  scan. In addition, beneficiaries can fully  avail themselves  of  other digital  initiatives such as ONORC, the Mera Ration App, Anna Sahayata, and more. The Status of PDS digitization in  State of West Bengal (including the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and North Dinajpur) is as follows:

- I) Aadhar Seeding- 100%
2. II)  Inter-State  portability  transactions- 1,39,920 (for  December,  2025)
3. III) e-PoS rollout-  99.9 % (i.e. 21084 out of total 21,105 Fair Price Shops).

Further, Targeted Public  Distribution  System (TPDS) governed under National Food Security Act,  2013 (NFS A)  is  operated under the joint responsibility of  the  Central and the State/UT Governments. The  operational responsibilities for  allocation of  foodgrains within  the States/UTs, identification of  eligible beneficiaries &  families,  issuance of  ration  cards to  them, distribution of  foodgrains to  eligible beneficiaries, supervision and monitoring of  functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) etc. rest with the concerned State/ UT Governments.

DFPD has taken several steps to  strengthen grievance redressal in  the  Public  Distribution System  such  as  availability of  toll free  helplines, introduction of  Anna  Sahayata,  an advanced Whats,z\pp and IVRS-based grievance redressal system, allowing  beneficiaries to lodge complaints in their own language and 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.

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