**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer to Unstarred Question No. 2802 in Lok Sabha regarding Price Reporting Centres (PRCs) to be answered on 17.12.2025. It outlines the objectives of PRCs, their achievement of targets, the number of PRCs in the country, and expansion efforts. The Department of Consumer Affairs monitors prices daily and requests States and UTs to set up Price Reporting Centres wherever feasible.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Objectives and Achievements of PRCs:**
* The Department of Consumer Affairs monitors daily prices of 38 food commodities.
* PRCs are set up with Central assistance by State Governments and UT Administrations.
* The objective of PRCs is to report daily prices to the Price Monitoring Division of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
* Price data is analyzed to make decisions regarding stock release, export-import policy, etc.
* The objectives of PRCs are achieved as per targets.
* **Number and Expansion of PRCs:**
* There are currently 575 PRCs covering 35 States/UTs.
* The Union Territory of Lakshadweep has not set up a PRC.
* In 2022-23, the Department of Consumer Affairs requested all States and UTs to set up PRCs in districts wherever feasible.
* The number of PRCs increased from 178 in December 2021 to 575 in November 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments and UT Administrations Impact**
* *Impact:* Responsible for setting up and maintaining Price Reporting Centres (PRCs) with central assistance. Must cooperate to achieve the objectives set by the Price Monitoring Division of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
* *Action Required:* Establish PRCs in districts wherever feasible to ensure representative price data; Lakshadweep must set up a PRC.
**Department of Consumer Affairs Impact**
* *Impact:* Responsible for monitoring daily prices, analyzing the data, and making informed decisions regarding stock release and export-import policies to maintain the availability and affordability of essential food commodities.
* *Action Required:* Continue to monitor prices, coordinate with states and UTs to improve PRC coverage, and analyze price trends to ensure effective policy decisions.
Key Entities Referenced
Price Reporting Centres (PRCs): A scheme to monitor daily prices of food commodities across the country, set up with Central assistance by State Governments and UT Administrations.
Department of Consumer Affairs: The department responsible for monitoring and managing the Price Reporting Centres and reporting to the Price Monitoring Division.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution: The ministry overseeing the Department of Consumer Affairs and ultimately responsible for the Price Reporting Centres initiative.
Price Monitoring Division: Division within the Department of Consumer Affairs that receives daily price reports from Price Reporting Centres.
States/UTs: The geographical areas where Price Reporting Centres are being established, with varying degrees of implementation.
Government of India
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Department of Consumer Affairs
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2802
TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025
PRICE REPORTING CENTRES
2802. SHRI RAMASAHAYAM RAGHURAM REDDY:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC
DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:
(a) the objectives of the Price Reporting Centres (PRCs) under the Price Monitoring Division;
(b) whether these objectives have been achieved as per the targets;
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(d) the details of the number of price reporting centres in the Country;
(e) whether it is a fact that some States do not even have one price reporting centre, if so, the details
thereof and the steps taken by the Government to address this; and
(f) the time when the PRCs were last surveyed and expanded by the Government?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI B.L.VERMA)
(a) to (f) : Department of Consumer Affairs monitors daily prices of 38 food commodities reported by Price
Reporting Centres (PRCs) that have been set up with Central assistance by State Governments and UT
Administrations across the country. The objective of PRCs is to report the daily prices to the Price Monitoring
Division of Department of Consumer Affairs. The daily report of prices are collated and the indicative price
trends are duly analysed for taking appropriate decisions regarding release of stocks from the buffer,
rationalisation of export-import policy etc. to maintain availability and affordability of essential food
commodities to the consumers. The objectives of PRCs are achieved as per the targets.
As on date, there are 575 Price Reporting Centres covering 35 States/UTs. The Union Territory of
Lakshadweep has not set up a Price Reporting Centre. In order to further improve the representativeness of
prices data, the Department of Consumer Affairs had, in 2022-23, requested all the States and UTs to set up
Price Reporting Centres in districts wherever feasible. As a result, the number of Price Reporting Centres has
increased from 178 in December, 2021 to 575 in November, 2025.
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