**Executive Summary**
This document addresses Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1616 regarding the efficiency of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Bihar. It outlines the measures taken by the Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD) to improve storage and distribution, ensure food security during disasters, and meet the objectives of the National Food Security Act. The response was due on December 10, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Role of DFPD and FCI:** The DFPD, through the Food Corporation of India (FCI), primarily stores wheat and rice after procurement for PDS operation and to maintain buffer stock.
* **Bihar's DCP Status:** Bihar is a Decentralized Procurement (DCP) State. The state government procures, stores, and distributes foodgrains according to the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) requirements.
* **Storage Capacity:** As of November 1, 2025, Bihar had 13.43 LMT of covered storage capacity with FCI (3.45 LMT owned & 9.99 LMT hired) and 10.13 LMT of covered storage capacity with State agencies.
* **Storage Capacity Augmentation:** The DFPD continuously assesses storage capacity and addresses gaps through various schemes:
* Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme
* Central Sector Scheme (CSS) 2017-25
* Construction of Silos under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode
* Hiring of godown from Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)/State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs)/State Agencies
* Hiring of godown through Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS).
* Creation of godowns under Asset Monetization
* Covered & Plinth (CAP) Hiring Scheme -2025
* Modified PEG scheme for NE & Hilly states with longer guarantee period of 15 years
* **Bihar Specific Initiatives:** Currently, DFPD is augmenting storage capacity in Bihar through:
* Construction of SILOs under PPP mode
* Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme
* Asset Monetization Scheme
* **State Government Responsibility:** The NFSA Act 2013 assigns the responsibility for implementing and monitoring central government schemes to the concerned State Government to ensure food security for targeted beneficiaries.
* **Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) Initiative:** The MoC plans to create godowns at the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) level by converging government schemes for local stock storage and distribution.
* **Disaster Preparedness:** DFPD's measures align with multi-model objectives, including food security during disasters, to achieve the objectives of the National Food Security Act.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Central Government Ministries and Departments
**Impact:** Responsible for implementation and monitoring of schemes related to food security in accordance with their own guidelines and schemes.
**Action Required:** Adhere to NFSA Act 2013 and ensure state governments can effectively maintain a robust public distribution system.
**Stakeholder:** State Government of Bihar
**Impact:** Responsible for procurement, storage, and distribution of food grains as per NFSA/OWS requirements.
**Action Required:** Maintain a robust public distribution system to ensure smooth distribution of food grains to targeted beneficiaries. Implement storage capacity augmentation schemes.
**Stakeholder:** Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS)
**Impact:** Potential sites for godown creation for local stock storage and distribution.
**Action Required:** Support the Ministry of Cooperation in the creation of godowns at the PACS level.
Key Entities Referenced
National Food Security Act: A law to ensure food security.
Public Distribution System (PDS): A food security system operated by the government.
Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD): The department responsible for food and public distribution.
Bihar: A state in India mentioned as a case study.
Food Corporation of India (FCI): Agency that stores wheat & rice after procurement for PDS operation
ORIGINAL IN HINDI
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1616
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10TH DECEMBER, 2025
EFFICIENCY OF PDS
t 1616. SHRI TARIQ ANWAR:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be
pleased to state:
(a) the reasons for inadequacy of the current system of storage, distribution and ensuring
efficiency of Public Distribution System (PDS) through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies
(PACS) in the State of Bihar; and
(b) the concrete steps being taken by the Government to ensure food security during disasters
like floods and droughts through cooperatives and to achieve the objectives of the National Food
Security Act?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIMATI NINIUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a): Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD) through Food Corporation of India
(FCI) mainly stores wheat & rice after procurement for Public Distribution System (PDS) operation
and to maintain buffer stock.
Bihar is a Decentralized Procurement (DCP) State. The state Government procure, store and
distribute foodgrains as per their National Food Security Act (NFS A)/Other Welfare Schemes
(OWS) requirements. Shortfall arised due to less procurement than the requirements, if any, is
bridged by inducting stock or excess procurement wherein excess stock is moved to deficit areas.
As on 01.11.2025, 13.43 LMT Covered storage capacities is available with FCI (Owned –
3.45 LMT & Hired-9.99 LMT) and 10.13 LMT Covered storage capacity is with the State agencies
in Bihar for storing of Central Pool foodgrain stocks.
The requirement of Storage capacity depends upon the level of procurement, requirement of
buffer norms and PDS operations for Rice and Wheat mainly. DFPD continuously assesses and
monitors the storage capacity and based on the storage gap assessment, storage capacities are
created/hired through following schemes: -
1. Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme
2. Central Sector Scheme (CSS) 2017-25
3. Construction of Silos under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode4. Hiring of godown from Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)/State Warehousing
Corporations (SWCs)/State Agencies
5 Hiring ofgodown through Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS)
6 Creation of godowns under Asset Monetization
7 Covered & Plinth (CAP) Hiring Scheme -2025
8. Modified PEG scheme for NE & Hilly states with longer guarantee period of 15 years
At present, DFPD is augmenting its storage capacity through following schemes in Bihar
state: -
1. Construction of SILOs under PPP mode
2. Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme
3. Asset Monetization Scheme
As per the NFS A Act 2013, the responsibility for implementation and monitoring of the
schemes of various Ministries and Departments of the Central Government in accordance with
guidelines issued by the Central Government for each scheme, and their own schemes, for ensuring
food security to the targeted beneficiaries in their State lies with the concerned State Govt.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of the concerned state Govt. to maintain a robust public
distribution system to ensure smooth distribution of food grains to the targeted beneficiaries.
Further, Ministry of Cooperation (N/IoC) envisages to create godowns at Primary
Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) level by convergence of various Government schemes i.e.
World’s largest grain Storage Plan. The plan envisages storage of locally procured stocks at local
PACs level and distribution thereafter in the same area.
(b): The above stated steps of DFPD at Point (a) are in the lines of multi-model objectives which
also include the food security during disasters to achieve the objective of the National Food
Security Act.
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