**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the Indian government's response to questions regarding the inclusion of millets and coarse grains in the Public Distribution System (PDS). A High-Level Committee recommended moving beyond rice and wheat-centric PDS to include millets and other nutritious coarse grains. The document details the steps taken to implement these recommendations, including procurement, storage, and distribution. This response was to be answered on February 11th, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Committee Recommendation:**
* The Shanta Kumar Committee recommended the inclusion of millets and other nutritious coarse grains in the PDS.
* **Procurement of Coarse Grains:**
* Procurement is regulated by guidelines dated 07.12.2021/28.03.2022/08.09.2023 for allocation, distribution, and disposal of coarse grains (Jowar, Bajra, Maize & Ragi) and 6 minor millets.
* States are allowed to procure these commodities in Decentralized Procurement mode from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP).
* The procured grains are to be distributed under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)/Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).
* **Current Status:**
* The government has already diversified the PDS basket.
* This diversification includes climate-resilient coarse grains like Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, and Maize.
* It also includes 6 minor millets: Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Kodo Millet, Little Millet, Buck-wheat, and Ameranthus.
* **Annexure Information:**
* Annexure I provides state-wise and year-wise details of the quantity of coarse grains procured in the last 5 years.
* Annexure II provides state-wise coarse grains distributed under PDS during the last five years
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Farmers
* **Impact**: Farmers may benefit from the inclusion of millets and coarse grains in the PDS through increased demand for their produce.
* **Action Required**: Farmers may need to increase production of millets and coarse grains to meet the demands of the PDS.
**Stakeholder:** States
* **Impact**: States are responsible for the procurement and distribution of millets and coarse grains under the PDS.
* **Action Required**: States must adhere to the procurement guidelines and ensure proper distribution of millets and coarse grains under the TPDS/OWS.
**Stakeholder:** Beneficiaries of PDS
* **Impact**: Beneficiaries will have access to a more diverse and nutritious basket of food grains through the PDS.
* **Action Required**: No immediate action required.
Key Entities Referenced
Public Distribution System (PDS): A Government of India scheme to provide subsidized food grains to the poor.
High-Level Committee on Reorienting the Role and Restructuring of the Food Corporation of India (Shanta Kumar Committee): Committee that recommended including millets and other nutritious coarse grains in the PDS.
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS): A component of the PDS focused on providing subsidized food grains to specific vulnerable groups.
Minimum Support Price (MSP): Price at which the government purchases crops from farmers to protect them from market fluctuations.
National Food Security Act: An Act to provide for food security in the country.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1915
TO BE ANSWERED ON lITH FEBRUARY, 2026
INCLUSION OF MILLETS AND COARSE GRAINS IN THE PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEM
1915. DR. BYREDDY SHABARI:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
be pleased to state:
(a): whether the Government is aware that the High-Level Committee on Reorienting the Role
and Restructuring of the Food Corporation of India (Shanta Kumar Committee) recommended
moving beyond the rice and wheat-centric Public Distribution System (PDS) to include millets and
other nutritious coarse grains;
(b): if so, the steps taken by the Government to implement these recommendations including
procurement, storage and distribution ofmillets and coarse grains through the PDS
;
(c): the details of millets and coarse grains currently being procured and distributed under the
PDS during the last five years, State/UT-wise;
(d): the constraints, if any, in scaling up the inclusion of millets and coarse grains under the
National Food Security Act; and
(e): whether the Government proposes to further diversify the PDS basket to improve
nutritional outcomes and promote climate-resilient agriculture and if so, the details thereoP
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a) and (b): A High Level Committee under the chairmanship of Shri Shanta Kumar was
constituted for Re-orienting the Role and Re-structuring of Food Corporation of India.
Procurement of coarse grains is regulated by guidelines dated
07. 12.2021/28.03.2022/08.09.2023 for allocation, distribution, and disposal of coarse grains (Jowar,
Bajra, Maize & Ragi) and 6 minor millets procured by the States/FCI. Under these guidelines, States
are allowed to procure these commodities in Decentralized Procurement mode from farmers at
Minimum Support Price (MSP) for distribution under Targeted Public Distribution System
(TPDS)/Other Welfare Schemes(C)WS).
(c): The State-wise and year wise details of quantity of coarse grains procured during last 5 years
is enclosed at Annexure I.The State-wise coarse grains distributed under PDS during the last five years is enclosed at
Annexure ll.
(d): No, Sir.
(e): Government has already diversified the PDS basket by including climate-resilient
coarsegrains i.e. (Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and Maize) and 6 minor millets: Foxtail Millet
(Kangani/Kakun), Proso Millet (Cheena), Kodo Millet (Kodo), little millet (Kutki), Buck-wheat
(kuttu) and Ameranthus (Chaulai).
>Ic $ 8 + 8STATEMENT SHOWING PROCUREMENT OF COARSEGRAINS
Annexu re-1
FIg Irl Metric Ions
Total
Andhra Madhya Uttar Tamil Procurement MSP Value (in
I
KMS [ COMMODITY Pradesh Karnataka Pradesh =Maharashtra Pradesh Odisha I Uttarakhand Nadu (MT) MSP (Rs./gtI) crore)
m’AR 80722 29582 17784 a 128088 2620 335_59
Mmm) 0 0 18384 0 18384 2620 48. 17
BAJRA 11515 150000 0 195351 5005 0 361871 2150 778.02
2020-2 1 Rmm 4133 0 0 88283 06413 198829 1850 367.83
M AIZE(Rabi' 0 0 6486 0 6486 1850 12.00
iAGI n5474098 0 0 0 20252 494350 3295 1628.88
Totai 15648 150000 724933 135942 106+ 1 3 T0252 1208008 0.00
JO\A, AR 103920 32393 20262 C 156575 2738 428,70
TaB=iatat)? 0 0 0 0 0 2738 0.00
!BAJRA 7284 0 l400 567 0 1- 13251 2250 29.81
202 1 -22 : Ma7 A\ ID ZE E(Rabi) 389 00 .96 015 -t 27 063 227 067 1 18 87 70 0 4 02 .. 05 07
r––T=BaT
RAGI 404784 0 253 437339 3377 1476.89
Total 7673 508703 37793 40697 2763 32302 629931 0.00
JOWAR 0 76897 258 1378 0 78533 2970 233.24
JOt1/AR(Rat)i ) B85 0 0 2358 0 6664 297G 19.79
[BAmJkA.m 766 81 147 0 10 43437 125360 2350 294.60
56645 0 O 0 56645 2350 133.12
2022-23 1M AIZE () () 48 O 48 1962 0.10
MAIZE(RaL>i) 197 0 0 12877 0 m–r5= 13074 1962 25.65
RAGI 4 0 454404 0 636 0 456745 3578 1634.23
Total 3625 -58293 81147 53130 } 258 17308 43437 I 737069 0.00
„10WAR 24466 85402 462 13340 1 23670 3180 393.27
JO-\VAR(Rabl) 4903 2946 105019 86624.9 199493 3 1 80 634.39
BAJRA 33359 1 231334 355038 619731 2500 1549.33
76726.5 76726 2500 191.82
2023-24
25 445 1 4476 2090 9.35
M RAA GIZ IE(Rabi) 376 1 o.75 1 1 226576 15 86 9 0,7 m9 23056 920 2 30 89 40 6 80 8. 81 .12 2
Total 29745 [0 3 87357 372830 8 1889 1255073 0.00
JOWAR 1 27 1 115352 908 937 46942 164166 337 1 553.40
53001
JOWAR(RatE) 35402 78676 131311 250689 3371 845.07
BAJRA 38181 156000 I IOI.311 261129 2625 685.46
mA(RAI) 82223 1 82223 2625 215.84
2024-25 MAIZE 1 1 2225 0.00
MAIZE(Rabi) 118 51 19312 19481 2225 43.35
RAGI 205 1 5 346079 233 40000 3139 1 4050 393711 4290 1689.02
RAGI (Rabi) 902 902 4290 3.87
Total 365091 914911 156000 540107 908 132533 167565 40000 3139 1 4050 1172302 0.00
JOWAR 379 1112 43562 : 45053 3699 166,65
JOW a 3699 0,00
BA.IRA 13546_ H3 213973 227752 2775 632.01
mBAJRJ\(Rabi} 0 2775 0.00
2025..26* Is 17677 13209 31401 2400 75.36
MAIZE(Rabi} 1 1 0 2400 0.00
kAGI lo1 4272 1 966 5248 4886 25.64
RAGI (Rabi) 0 4886 0.00
Total + 14071 233 0 379 18789 270744 0 2 309454 0.00
!
!nlentm-mr on (procurement tiN 29T21)26Coarse Grain Distribution in Last 5 years (MT) Annexure ll
State Name 1 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 20268
ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS 0 0 0 0
ANDHRA PRADESH 0 17005 27278 28005 6663
ARUNACHAL PRADESH 0 0 0 0
ASSAM 0 0 0 0
BIHAR 0 0 0 0
CHHATriSGARH 0 0 0 0
DADAR & NAGAR HAVELI & DAMAN & DIU 0 0 0 0
DELHI 0 0 0 0
GOA 0 0 0 0
G UJARAT 0 7835 56788 151579 91429 25
HARYANA 95162 59977 41037 344817 217422 0
HIIVIACHAL PRADESH 0 0 0 0
JAFVIIVIU AND KASHMIR 0 0 0 0
JHARKHAND 0 0 0 0
KARNATAKA 515858 474203 412564 401286 546204 2684
KERALA 0 487 16 0
LADAKH 0 0 0 0
LAKSHADWEEP 0 0 0 0
IVIADHYA PRADESH 197028 28856 2814 0 840 0
IV]AHARASHTRA 62699 30968 16732 61265 143109 11024
IVIANIPUR 0 0 0 0
IVIEGHALAYA 0 0 0 0
IVllZORAIVI 0 0 0 0
NAG ALAN D 0 0 0 0
ODISHA 0 0 0 0
PUDUCHERRY 0 0 0 0
PUNJAB 0 0 0 0
RAJASTHAN 0 0 0 0
SIKKllVI 0 0 0 0
TAMIL NADU 0 4307 2837 2585 18
TELANGANA 0 0 0 0
TRIP U RA 0 0 0 0
UTrAR PRADESH 98492 2634 3342 371394 167490 0
UTTARAKH AND 0 0 0 2461 0
WEST BENGAL 0 0
* as on 31.01.2026