Tamil Nadu Public Distribution System (TNPDS)

About TNPDS

Public Distribution System in Tamil Nadu has a huge success story in its coverage and pricing. Each family is entitled to 20 kg of rice at Re, whether below the poverty line or not. 1 per lb. It was thought that successful targeting of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families was an administratively demanding job.

There was a real danger that the people most in need of food security would be left out. The State is now rightly placed as a model for successfully implementing a comprehensive system of food security.

The Government of Tamil Nadu is introducing the Universal Public Distribution System (UPDS), and no exclusion is made based on the requirements for wages.

By ordering rice free of charge under the public distribution system from 01.06.2011 to all eligible cardholders, the Hon’ble Chief Minister made the universal public distribution system ‘poorly friendly’ by ordering rice free of cost under the public distribution system.

The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and the Cooperative societies carry out goods through fair price shops.

Via 33,222 fair price shops working under different departments, the Public Distribution Scheme is enforced as follows:

Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation extracts critical resources from India’s Food Corporation and stores them in 284 state-wide operational go downs. Stocks are transferred from the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation’s operational go downs by leading Cooperative Societies / self-lifting societies and supplied at the doorsteps of fair price shops.

Likewise, Sugar is transferred from the respective Cooperative / Private Sugar Mills by Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and distributed through its operational go downs.

Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation also procures directly from the market various other vital commodities for the Special Public Distribution System through tenders and designated agencies of India’s Government.

Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Company and Cooperatives extract kerosene from the oil firms’ wholesale dealers.

Issuing family cards to eligible families is an ongoing procedure. The Government has given the required instructions to issue cards without delay to the Principal Commissioner and Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection. Counterfeit cards are also being withdrawn at the same time.

The Government has prescribed the new family card application and can be downloaded from the Department of Civil Supplies www.consumer.tn.gov.in.

In Tamil Nadu, the success of the scheme relies heavily on groundwork. The mammoth task of reducing diversion and reaching 317,000 tonnes of rice to more than 1.97 crore cardholders who draw rations from approximately 31,439 outlets in 32 districts (including the newly created Ariyalur and Tiruppur) includes technical interventions.

The development of innovative fool-proof distribution systems, old-fashioned police, surprise controls, and ongoing evaluations, and the fixing of accountability.

Stock movement from the 310 warehouses across the State to the PDS outlets begins from the 20th of the preceding month (for example, August 20 to September). Sixty percent of the stocks for the next month hit the PDS outlets by the end of the month. The absolute limit hits the stores by the 5th of the month of issuance.

Tamil Nadu maintains a six-month supply of rice, wheat, and other commodities in its warehouses at any given time. The transition from the warehouses to the PDS outlets is by trucks closely monitored by road maps.

The maps indicate the direction to be taken by the truck, descriptions of the goods it holds, and the shop to which the goods are shipped.

Any elected representative or official of the Government who detects any deviation from the route shall be allowed to inspect the vehicle and report to the nearest police station.