**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Indian government's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 901 regarding the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Punjab, to be answered on February 4th, 2026. The response addresses procurement of wheat and paddy, quantities procured, distributed, and lifted, and complaints related to delays, storage losses, and price increases. It also mentions an ongoing project for evaluation of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Procurement Process:**
* Procurement is a continuously evolving process.
* Minimum Support Price (MSP) processes have improved, ensuring direct payment to farmers' bank accounts.
* Aadhaar and land records are linked with state procurement portals.
* **PDS Evaluation:**
* PDS-Evaluation, Monitoring and Research project aims to evaluate the functioning of TPDS/National Food Security Act (NFSA).
* Independent agencies are used for evaluation.
* The Department of Food and Public Distribution engages monitoring institutions for concurrent evaluations.
* **Procurement Quantities (in LMT):**
| | Wheat | Paddy |
| -------- | ------ | ------ |
| RMS 2024-25 | 124.66 | 173.59 |
| RMS 2025-26 | 119.28 | 156.69 |
* **Wheat Lifted and Distributed under PDS in Punjab (in LMT):**
| | Quantity Lifted | Quantity Distributed |
| ----- | --------------- | -------------------- |
| 2024-25 | 8.44 | 8.07 |
| 2025-26 | 5.44 | 8.22 |
* **Complaints:**
* No complaints were received regarding delays, storage losses, or price rise of essential commodities.
* Rice is not distributed under PDS in the State of Punjab.
**Impact Analysis**
**Impact:** Farmers benefit from direct MSP payments and streamlined procurement processes.
**Action Required:** No specific action is required by farmers, but they should ensure their bank accounts and land records are properly linked.
**Impact:** Implementing agencies gain insight into the efficacy of the PDS system and can make improvements.
**Action Required:** Continue monitoring and research activities.
**Impact:** Provides transparency and accountability regarding the PDS system.
**Action Required:** Review the information provided.
Key Entities Referenced
Public Distribution System (PDS): A government-run system for distributing essential food and non-food items to the poor at subsidized rates.
Punjab: Indian state where the PDS functioning and procurement are being reviewed.
Minimum Support Price (MSP): A government price intervention to support farmers by guaranteeing a minimum price for their crops.
National Food Security Act (NFSA): An Act to provide for food and nutritional security in human life, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution: The central government ministry responsible for food policy and distribution in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 901
TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH FEBRUARY, 2026
PDS IN PUNJAB
901. SHRICHARANJIT SINGHCHANNI:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
be pleased to state:
(a): whether the Government has reviewed the procurement of wheat and paddy and the
functioning of the Public Distribution System in Punjab;
(b) if so, the details of the quantity procured, distributed and lifted during the last two years;
:
(c): whether complaints regarding delays, storage losses or price rise of essentIal
commodities have been received; and
(d): if so, the details thereof and corrective steps taken by the Government to protect farmers
and consumers?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a): The procurement operation is a continuously evolving process and during the last few years,
procurement processes under Minimum Support Price (MSP) have improved to ensure payment of
MSP to farmer’s bank account directly instead of payment through Arhatia and linkage of Aadhaar
and Land records with the State’s procurement portals ensuring the farmers directly get the benefits
of the MSP purchase.
PDS-Evaluation, Monitoring and Research, erstwhile a scheme component, is a project
aimed to get the functioning of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)/ National Food
Security Act (NFS A) evaluation through independent reputed agencies from time to time.
Department of Food and Public Distribution has engaged several Monitoring Institutions for
conducting concurrent evaluation, state wise in phase manner.(b): The details of Wheat and Paddy procured in the last two years in Punjab (including UT
Chandigarh) are as under:
(in LMT)
Wheat 'uantjty Procured Paddy 'uantjty Procured
RMS T2n6 KMS T+05
2024-25 2024-25
RMS 119.28 KMS 156.69
2025-26 2025-26
The details of the quantity of wheat lifted and distributed under PDS in Punjab during the
last two years are as under:
(in LMT)
Financial Year 'uantit), Lifted 'uantjty Distributed
in
2024-25 8.07
2025-26 5.44 8.22
Rice is not distributed under PDS in the State of Punjab.
(c) & (d): There is no complaint received regarding delays, Storage losses or price rise of essential
commodities.
RSc+c See