Parliament Question: Anna Mitra and Anna Sahayata Platforms

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MrNISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 464 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25TH MARCH, 2026 ANNA MITRA AND ANNA SAHAYATA PLATFORMS t *464. SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL: SMT. DELKAR KALABEN MOHANBHAI: Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state: (a) : whether the Government has launched specific digital platforms like Anna IV[itra and Anna Sahayata to ensure transparency and accountability of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in various States of the country; (b): if so, the main features and functionalities of the said platforms with special reference to Madhya Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu along with the details of the key benefIts that ration beneficiaries get from the said platforms; (c) : whether the Anna Mhra platform promotes real-time monitoring offoodgrain distribution through the participation of common citizens and beneficiaries; (d) : the details of the complaints, suggestions and monitoring reports received so far through the said digital modes particularly in Madhya Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu along with the redressal rate thereof, State-wise; and (e): whether the Government proposes to implement the said successful digital models mandatorily in all the States and Union Territories of the country and also planning to make them available in local languages and if so, the details thereoF ANSWER MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION AND MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI) (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the HouseSTATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 464* (4th POSITION) FOR ANSWER ON 25th MARCH, 2026 REGARDING “ ANNA MITRA AND ANNA SAHAYATA PLATFORMS” (a) Yes, Government has launched digital platforms such as Anna Mitra and Anna Sahayata (ASHA) to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency in the Public Distribution System (PDS) across States/UTs. Anna Mhra is a mobile-based application designed for field-level monitoring and inspection of Fair Price Shops (FPS). It enables officials to capture real-time data, conduct inspections, geo-tag FPS locations, and report irregularities, thereby strengthening vigilance and ensuring accountability in .foodgrain distribution. Anna Sahayata (ASHA) is an Al-enabled citizen engagement and grievance redressal platform that proactively interacts with beneficiaries through automated voice calls and digital channels in regional languages. It facilitates feedback collection, grievance registration, and real-time monitoring of service delivery at the FPS level. (b) The key features and functionalities of these platforms include real-time monitoring, geo- tagged inspections, Al-based feedback collection, multilingual interaction, grievance registration, and integration with centralized PDS databases. Anna Mhra enables field officers to monitor FPS operations, upload inspection reports, and identify irregularities, while ASHA provides beneficiaries with multiple channels such as IVRS, Whats/Ipp, and Al-based calls to register grievances and provide feedback. These platforms have been implemented across various States/UTs, including Madhya Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and D&nan & Dill, and are contributing towards improved transparency, faster grievance redressal, and better service delivery to beneficiaries, (c) Anna Mhra promotes real-time monitoring of foodgrain distribution primarily through field- level inspections and digital reporting by officials. While it is not directly operated by common citizens, it strengthens accountability mechanisms which ultimately benefit beneficiaries through improved oversight and service delivery. (d) The details of complaints, suggestions, and monitoring reports received through these digital platforms, including State-wise data for Madhya Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, along with the redressal rates, are placed at Annexure. (e) The Government is promoting the adoption and scaling of these digital platforms across all States/UTs as part of broader PDS reforms under SMART-PDS and proposed SARTHAK-PDS. Both platforms are designed to support multilingual functionality, enabling beneficiaries to interact in their local languages, thereby ensuring inclusivity and wider accessibility. #####Annexure State-wise details of grievances/feedback received through digital platforms S. No. 1P latform Total Cases IVladhya Da(Ira & Nagar Lodged Pradesh Haveli and Daman & Diu ASHA (UCEP) 27,482 Anna Sahayata 33.204 (WhatsApp) Anna Sahayata (IVRS)