The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint responsibilities of the Central and the State/UT Governments, wherein the operational responsibilities, such as identification of beneficiaries/ households under NFSA, issuance of ration cards to them, allocation & transportation of foodgrains up to all Fair Price Shops (FPSs), distribution to beneficiaries, licensing & monitoring of FPSs, grievance redressal of beneficiaries, etc. rests with the concerned States/UTs. However, as and when any complaints are received in this Department from individuals, organizations as well as through media reports regarding any irregularities in the functioning of the TPDS, including leakages & diversion of subsidized foodgrains thus not reaching to the intended beneficiaries, issuance of license etc., they are forwarded to the concerned State/UT Government for inquiry and appropriate action at their end.
An offence committed in violation of the provisions of the TPDS (Control) Order, 2015 is liable for penal action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Thus, the Order empowers all State/UT Governments to take punitive actions in case of contravention of the relevant provisions of the Order. During the last three years 2018 to 2020, actions pertaining to number of FPS licenses suspended/ cancelled/show cause notices issued/FIR lodged were taken by States/UTs in a total of about 19,410 cases so far.
| STATEMENT: COMPLAINTS ON TPDS RECEIVED IN THE DEPARTMENT FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANISATIONS & THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS ETC
FROM 2018 TO 2020 |
||||
| S. No. | State/UT | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | 6 | 6 | 20 |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1 | 1 | – |
| 3 | Assam | 7 | 8 | 39 |
| 4 | Bihar | 135 | 119 | 335 |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | 9 | 7 | 17 |
| 6 | Delhi | 76 | 81 | 186 |
| 7 | Goa | – | 1 | – |
| 8 | Gujarat | 8 | 9 | 36 |
| 9 | Haryana | 35 | 39 | 69 |
| 10 | Himachal Pradesh | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | J&K | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| 12 | Jharkhand | 33 | 17 | 49 |
| 13 | Karnataka | 15 | 18 | 69 |
| 14 | Kerala | 11 | 11 | 13 |
| 15 | Madhya Pradesh | 24 | 26 | 55 |
| 16 | Maharashtra | 34 | 24 | 150 |
| 17 | Manipur | 2 | – | 2 |
| 18 | Meghalaya | – | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Mizoram | – | – | – |
| 20 | Nagaland | – | 1 | 1 |
| 21 | Orissa | 16 | 16 | 39 |
| 22 | Punjab | 22 | 14 | 32 |
| 23 | Rajasthan | 38 | 24 | 45 |
| 24 | Sikkim | – | – | – |
| 25 | Tamil Nadu | 27 | 16 | 46 |
| 26 | Telangana | 3 | 3 | 18 |
| 27 | Tripura | – | – | 3 |
| 28 | Uttarakhand | 15 | 14 | 27 |
| 29 | Uttar Pradesh | 369 | 343 | 589 |
| 30 | West Bengal | 43 | 51 | 213 |
| 31 | A&N Island | 1 | – | – |
| 32 | Chandigarh | 2 | – | 5 |
| 33 | D& N Haveli | – | – | 2 |
| 34 | Daman & Diu | – | – | – |
| 35 | Lakshadweep | 1 | – | – |
| 36 | Puducherry | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 941 | 855 | 2076 | |
This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri DanveRaosahebDadarao in Rajya Sabha today.
