Parliament Question: Adulteration in PDS System

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1781 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30TH JULY, 2025 ADULTERATION IN PDS SYSTEM

1781. DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware about adulteration of food items distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has taken measures to check the adulteration in food distributed through the PDS, if so, the details thereoe

(d) whether the Government has taken steps to improve efficiency, reduce leakages and reach the maximum number of food items to the people in the PDS and if so, the details thereof;

(e) the details about the integration of PDS through the digital technology in the urban areas as well as local areas;

(f) whether the digitization of PDS has brought out the transparency to the people of the country that are getting benefits from the PDS; and

(g) if so, the details thereon ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a) to (c): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSS AI) is mandated to lay down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumptron.-2- Regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of various food products are conducted throughout the year by the officials of Food Safety Departments of the respective States/ UTs to check compliance with the quality and safety parameters and other requirements as laid down under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Regulations made thereunder.

(d) to (g): Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State/UT Governments. Central Governrne]nt is responsible for procurement, allocation and transportation of foodgrains upto the designated depots of the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The operational responsibilities for intra.-state allocation and distribution of foodgrains within the States/UTs, identification of eligible beneficiaries, issuance of ration cards, supervision and monitoring of the Fair Price Shops

(FPSs) etc. rest with the concerned State/UT Governments.

Further, as part of the technology driven Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms, with the aim to improve the efficiency and reduce leakages in the PDS, ration cards/beneficiaries database have been completely digitized (100%) in all States/UTs. The transparency portal and online grievance redressal facility/Toll-free number have been implemented in all States/UTs. Also, online allocation has been implemented in all StatesrUTs (except UTs of Chandigarh, Puducherry and Urban area ofDadra & Nagar Haveli which have adopted DBT Cash Transfer scheme) and supply chain has been computerized in 31 States/UTs.

Nearly 5.41 Lakh (99.6%) out of total 5.43 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by installing ePoS devices for the distribution of foodgrains in a transparent manner (electronically) through biometric/ Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries.

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