Lok Sabha Question No. 179 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Quality of Foodgrains  in PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. Kadiyam Kavya

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

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 179 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 1 TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## QUALITY  OF FOODGRAINS IN PDS

## #179. DR. I(ADIYAM  KAVYA:

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

- (a): whether the  Government has received any  reports/complaints  regarding the quality  of foodgrains supplied under the  Public  Distribution  System (PDS) in  Telangana during the  last three years and the current year and if so, the details thereof;
- (b): the details of  inspections/quality  checks conducted by Central agencies/ Food Corporation of India (FCI)  and the number of instances of  quality deviations found in  respect of  supplies to Telangana, year-wise;
- (c): the details of action taken by  the Government including advisories issued and corrective measures undertaken in  coordination  with  the  State Government against erring  entities,  if  any; and
- (d): the steps taken by  the Government to  improve quality assurance, transparency and endto-end monitoring  of the PDS supply chain in Telangana?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION  AND MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) to (d):

A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## STATEMENT  REFERRED TO  IN  REPLY  TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE  STARRED QUESTION NO. '179 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 11.02.2026 IN THE LOK  SABHA

- (a): No  complaint received regarding quality  of  foodgrains supplied under  the  Public Distribution  System  (PDS) in Telangana during the last three years and the current year.
- (b) and (c): The foodgrain meant for central pool are procured by the Food Corporation of India (FCI)  as part of  Centralized Procurement and State Agencies through Decentralized Procurement strictly as per the uniform specification formulated by the Department of  Food and Public Distribution.  The  Telangana is  a  DCP  state and the  state Government itself  undertakes direct purchase after  100% quality  checks, stores and distributes the  foodgrains under PDS and other welfare schemes

In  addition, the details on the quality  checks conducted at storage points  by the joint  teams comprising FCI and state Government ofTelangana  during the last three years and current year are as under:

| Crop year               | No. of inspection conducted   | Quantity found beyondunfit for human consumption (MT)   |
|-------------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| 2022-23                 |                               | NIL                                                     |
| 2023-24                 |                               | NIL                                                     |
| 2024-25                 |                               | NIL                                                     |
| 2025-26 (till Jan 2026) |                               | NIL                                                     |

In  addition, the  regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of various food products including foodgrains under the Public Distribution System are being carried out by the Food Safety Departments of the respective States/UTs to check compliance with  the quality and safety parameters laid  down under Food Safety and Standards Act  200.6 and Regulations made there under. Any  Food Business  Operators  (FBOs) found in contravention of the provisions of the FSS Act, 2006, and Regulations made thereunder face penal actions as per the provisions of the Act.

- (d): The Department has formulated and issued a Quality Control Manual to  uniformly maintain the quality  standards of  foodgrains from  procurement, storage  and its  distribution  to the eligible  beneficiaries thrQugh various  social security programmes  of~ GoT. The  section 29  of National Food Security Act  2013 provides for constitution of Vigilance Committees at the State,

district, block and fair  price shop levels for  ensuring transparency and proper functioning of Targeted Public Distribution  System and accountability of the functionaries involved  in the system. Further, as part of  the technology driven  TPDS reforms with  the aim to enhance transparency  and efficiency  in  the TPDS, ration cards/beneficiaries database have been completely digitized  (100%) in  all  States/UTs. The transparency  portal and online grievance redressal facility/  Toll-  free number is  available in  all  States/UTs. Further, for  better tracking  of  foodgrains distribution,  all Fair  Price Shops (FPSs) have been automated by installing  ePoS devices for  the distribution  of foodgrains in  a transparent manner (electronically) through biometric/Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries. Also,  the Mera Ration App has been launched  by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), which enhances transparency and accessibility in  Public Distribution System.  It  allows beneficiaries to log in using the Aadhaar number of the Head of the Family and view  ration entitlements centrally.

#####