Public Distribution System is the main area of thrust, which has been renamed as ‘Targeted Public Distribution System with    effect from 1.6.1997. The entire population of the State has been covered under the Targeted Public Distribution System. It is being implemented through a network of Fair Price Shops. There are 4403 Fair Price Shops as on 31/03/2009. The sector-wise breakup of Fair Price Shops is as under :-

Cooperative	PANCHAYATS	HPSCSC	INDIVIDUALS	MAHILA MANDALS	TOTAL
2927	40	129	1302	5	4403

Under the Targeted Public Distribution System, the consumers have been categorized as A.P.L. and B.P.L. families. The families living below the poverty line have been categorized as B.P.L. families. There are 15,58,093 ration cardholders in the State out of which the no. of A.P.L. families in the State are 10,44,093 whereas the no. of B.P.L. families in the State are 3,16,900 and under antodaya yojna  1,97,100 families. 
The scale of allotment of food grains and other essential commodities from the Govt. of India at present is as under:-

A)  ANNAPURNA SCHEME:  
‘ANNAPURNA’ a centrally sponsored scheme has been introduced by the State Govt. in the Pradesh w.e.f. 1.4.2000. The numerical ceiling of the beneficiaries to be covered  under this scheme fixed by the Govt. of India at 3426 persons for this State for providing food security to the old destitute/indigent citizens of 65 years of age or above who are eligible for Old Age Pension under  the 'National Old Age Pension Scheme' (NOAPS), but are not receiving the same under the scheme. This ceiling has further been fixed by the Govt. of India to 6373 persons. Out of this target 3646 persons have been identified. Under this scheme the beneficiaries are being provided 10 Kgs of Wheat/ Rice free of cost per month.

B)  ANTODAYA ANNA YOJNA:
The Govt. of India has launched another scheme titled as ‘ANTODAYA ANNA YOJNA’ throughout the country for the poorest of the poor families which has been introduced in this State w.e.f. 01/03/2001. Ceiling of 156000 poorest of the poor families to be covered under this scheme has been fixed for this State by the Govt. of India. The same number of families against the ceiling fixed have been identified under the scheme out of 142181 families already identified under B.P.L.  At present, these families are being provided 35 Kgs. of food grains i.e. 15 Kgs of Wheat at the rates of Rs. 2.00 per Kg and 20 Kg of Rice at the rates of Rs. 3.00 per Kg per family per month .

 A.P.L. / B.P.L. / ANTODAYA ANNA YOJNA FAMILIES IN THE STATE AS ON 31-03-2009

Sr. No.

District Name  

Number of Families

A.P.L.

B.P.L. 

A.A.Y

Total

The population of the State as based on the ration cards is 7232983 as on 31/03/2009 and taking 15 Kgs. of food-grains as an average consumption per unit, the requirement of food grains comes to 108495 M. Ts. per month and 13.10 Lac M. Ts. per annum. Due to easy availability of food grains, there is no restriction on inter state movement at present. The requirement of food-grains under the TPDS is being made by the Govt. of India to the State on historic basis, through the Food Corporation of India for which this deptt. is required to make advance financial arrangements with the F.C.I through the H.P. State Civil Supplies Corpn. Ltd. to procure the allotted and required quantity from the declared principal distribution centers of the F.C.I. The sub-allocation of food grains and the financial arrangements thereof is made as per the requirement placed by the District Officers. At present 35 Principal Distribution Centres of F.C.I. are functioning in the State i.e. 12 at each district headquarter and the remaining 23 at Bharmour, Tisa, Baijnath, Dehra, Rampur Bushar, Hatkoti, Karsog,Naura-Dhar,Sarkaghat,Jaisinghpur,Killar(Pangi),Kaza,Janjehli,Banjar,Udaipur,Dodrakawar,Chopal, Narkanda, Anni,Pooh,Arki,Bara-bangal & Shillai.

Under the T.P.D.S. network the State Govt. is required to arrange lifting of food grains through the H.P. State Civil Supplies Corpn. Ltd. from the declared P.D.Cs of F.C.I. and arrange its transportation to its wholesale  godowns for further distribution to fair price shops as per their requirements.

The State of Himachal Pradesh depends upon all the Essential Commodities from Neighboring States of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi for its requirement. The price fluctuation in the wholesale market of the neighboring States directly influences the wholesale and retail prices in the Pradesh. The State Government has practically no control over the prevailing prices at the source. However, the Government has been exercising control over the availability and prices of Essential Commodities in the open market by enforcing various statutory provisions under the following Acts and Control Orders:-

 1.The Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

 2.The Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980.

 3.H.P. Commodity Price Marking and Display Order, 1977.

 4.H.P. Hoarding and Profiteering Prevention Order, 1977.

 5.H.P. Specified Articles (Regulation of Distribution) Order, 2003.

 6.H.P. Trade Articles (Licensing and Control) Order, 1981.

 7.Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000.

 8.H.P. Bricks (Control) Act, 1969.

 9.H.P. Bricks (Control) Order, 1970.

 10.H.P. Coal (Licensing and Price Control) Order, 1989.

 11.Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Prevention of Mal-Practices in Supply and Distribution)Order,2005.

 12.Kerosene (restriction on Use and Fixation of Ceiling Price) Order, 1993.

 13.The Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

 14.H.P. Consumer Protection Rules, 1998.

 15.Edible Oil ( Packaging and Regulation) Order, 1998.

 16.Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2001.

 17.H.P. Rice Procurement (Levy) Order,2001.

 18.The Solvent Reffinate and Slop(Acquisition, Sale, Storage and Prevention of use in Automobiles) Order, 2000

 19.Naptha (Acquisition, Sale, Storage and Prevention of use in Automobiles) Order, 2000

 20.Liquefied Petroleum Gas ( Regulation of Use in Motor Vehicles) Orders, 2001.

 21.Household Electrical Appliances (Quality Control) Orders, 1981.

The brief introduction of the above mentioned Acts and Orders are as under:

1.  THE ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT, 1955:
It is a Central Act to provide, in the interests of the general public, for the control of the production, supply, and distribution of, and trade and commerce in, certain commodities.

2. THE PREVENTION OF BLACK MARKETING AND MAINTENANCE OF SUPPLIES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT, 1980:
Vide this order the Officer/Official of the Food and Supplies and Consumer Affairs Deptt. are empowered for detention in certain cases for the purpose of prevention of black-marketing and maintenance of supplies of commodities essential to the community/consumers and for the matter connected therewith.

3. H.P. COMMODITIES PRICE MARKING AND DISPLAY ORDER, 1977:
Vide this letter, every shopkeeper is under obligation to display the ultimate retail prices including taxes etc. payable by a consumer at the business premises for information of the consumers. These prices are to be marked/displayed on the packets, containers of such articles per unit and on every meter of cloth.

4. H.P. HOARDING AND PROFITEERING (PREVENTION) ORDER, 1977:
Vide this order, Director of Food and Supplies or District Magistrates of the concerned Districts are empowered to fix through notifications maximum margin of profit which a dealer in a specified commodity can charge over his landed cost besides the maximum retail prices to be charged by the dealer among other provisions for possession and sale of any commodity by a dealer and consumer at a given time in the event of scarcity of any commodity listed in the schedule appended thereto.

5. H.P. SPECIFIED ARTICLES(REGULATION OF DISTRIBUTION) Order, 2003:
This order lays down the provisions and procedures for distribution of specified commodities to the consumer through the Distribution Card (Ration Card) in the fair price shops, which are regulated under the network of Targeted Public Distribution system.

6. H.P. TRADE ARTICLES (LICENSING AND CONTROL) ORDER, 1981:
Vide this composite statutory Order, the trade is being regulated through licenses issued to a dealer dealing in specified commodities over and above a specified quantity at a given time. This order enables the Department to exercise check over the stocks of commodities of daily use by the dealers in the State for regulating their equitable distribution on fixed prices.  

7.  THE LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (REGULATION AND DISTRIBUTION) ORDER, 2000:
Vide this order, the detailed provisions and procedure for distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas through the network of Public Distribution System is being regulated through licenses/authorization issued to a dealer/oil companies dealing in L.P.G. over and above at a given time. This order enables the Department to exercise check over the stocks of L.P.G. in the State for regulating their equitable distribution on fixed price.

8. THE H.P. BRICKS (CONTROL) ACT, 1969:
Vide this Act, the Govt. has empowered the Officer/Official of the Food and Supplies Deptt. for maintaining or increasing the supply o f Bricks for their equitable distribution and availability at fair price and it may by order notified in the Official Gazetteer, provide for regulating by licenses, permits or otherwise the manufacture, storage distribution, transport, acquisition of disposal of Bricks, for collecting any information or statistics with a view to the regulation of the aforesaid matters, for grant or issue of licenses, permits or other documents and the charging of fee therefore, for controlling the price at which bricks may be bought or sold, for requiring dealers or kin owners to maintain and produce for inspection such accounts and records regarding bricks and to furnish such information relating thereto, as may be specified to in the order.

16. PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (CONTROL) ORDER, 2001:  
This order is mainly meant for the smoothly functiong of the Targetted Public Distribution System in various States. Under clause 5 of the annexure attahced with this order, the Govt. of India shall authorise all the State Govt. to issue a separate control order is their States for proper functioning of the Targetted Public Distribution System. The State of H.P. has already issued H.P. Sepecified Articles(Regulation of Distribution) Order 2003. This order laysdown the provisions and proceedings for distribution if specified commodities to the consumers through the Distribution Card(ration card) in the fair price shops, which are regulated under the network of Targetted Public Distribution System.

17. H. P. Rice Procurement(Levy) Order, 2001:  
This order has been issued by the State Govt. for the purpose of procurement of Rice by the Govt. procurement agencies for maintaining the Stocks of Rice for being distributed to the public through the Targetted Public Distribuition System as also ensuring remunarative price of Rice to the farmers.

18. The Solvent Reffinate and Slop (Acquisition, Sale,Storage and Prevention of use in Automobiles) Order, 2000:  
This order has been issued by the Govt. of India for the purpose of restriction on sale and use of solvents, reffinates, slops and other products. This order laysdown detailed provisions and procedure for obtaining license, for acquire, store or sell solvent, raffinate, slops or their equivalent and other products issued by the State Govt. or the District Magistrate or any other officer authorised by the Central/State Govt. According to this order no person shall either use or help in any manner the user of solvents, raffinated, slops or their equivalent or other products except Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel in any automobile.

19. Naptha (Acquisition, Sale, Storage and Prevention of use in Automobiles) Order, 2000:
This order has been issued by the Govt. of India for the purpose of restriction on sale and use of Naptha.This order laysdown detailed provisions and procedure for obtaining license, for acquire, store or sell Naptha issued by the State Govt. or the District Magistrate or any other officer authorised by the State Govt. According to this order no person shall either use or help in any manner the user of Naptha except Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel and/or any other fuel permitted by the Central Govt. in any automobile.


20. Liquefied Petroleum Gas(Regulation of Use in Motor Vehicles)) Order, 2001:
This order has been issued by the Govt. of India for the purpose of acquire, store for sale, supply, fill or distributed auto LPG to a consumer except according to the provisions cantained in this order. According to this order no person shall store, supply, sell or dispense aoto LPG unless he is aoto LPG dispensing dealer. This order enables the Department to check over the acquire, store for sale, supply , fill or distributed auto LPG to a consumers according to the provisions.

  MONITORING OF PRICES

In order to keep vigil over the prices in Shimla Town, the retail prices of 18 essential commodities are being collected on Daily basis besides on Weekly (Wednesday) basis. Further the retail prices in respect of 24 commodities are also being collected on Weekly (Friday) basis from all the District Headquarters and as per the trend analysis, the results are conveyed to the State Government.

In Himachal Pradesh all the essential commodities are procured from neighboring states. The State is not self sufficient in the production of food grains and to meet out the requirement, the public mostly remains dependent on the neighboring states, as well as upon the Govt. of India for the allocation of wheat and rice under the T.D.P.S. 

Himachal Pradesh being hilly and having snow bound terrain, the Department had to remain vigilant for the management of buffer storage of food grains.There are 107 Godowns having a storage capacity of 61858 MTS.           

RATION CARDS FOR P.D.S.
For the distribution of Targeted Public Distribution System food grains, a Ration Card is issued on the name of Head of the family under the provisions of H.P.Specified Articles (Regulation of Distribution) order, 2003. In Urban Areas, a ration card is issued by concerned District Controller/Inspector, (FCS&CA) and in Rural Areas, by the concerned Panchayat Pradhans.

PROCEDURE FOR GETTING A RATION CARD
(Details are available in PROCEDURES)
For getting a ration card application form will be filled in by the Head of the family and a surrender certificate will be issued by the concerned authority where the family resides before. To get the new ration card at new place, surrender certificate must be attached with the ration card application form for getting a new ration card.

RATION CARDS FOR B.P.L./ANTODAYA
B.P.L. ration cards are issued to the families identified by the Rural Development and Urban Development Deptts. and issued by the concerned Inspector/Pradhan Gram Panchayat.
  

The role of fair price shops is very important for T.P.D.S. It reflects the grounds operation and activities of the department. For the distribution of T.P.D.S. food grains fair price shops are allocated by the concerned District Controller Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affiars/Deputy Commissioner on the recommendations of concerned Panchayat/Zila Parishad. At the time of allotment of fair price shops preference is given to Ex-man, Mahila Mandal, Handicapped person, educated unemployed persons. There are 4403 fair price shops as on 31-03-2009. Out of these fair price shops, 2927 are run by the Cooperative Societies, 1302 by Individuals, 40 by Panchayats, 5 by Mahila Mandals and 129 by H.P. State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd.

Samples of Wheat /Rice are drawn jointly by the godown incharges of H.P. State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. and Food Corporation India officials before taking delivery from the depot of Food Corporation of India at every principal distribution center for the purpose of quality control. Inspection targets of foodgrains godowns are fixed for the District Controller Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, District Inspector, at the Directorate level.
The Inspectors of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs also draw samples of wheat, wheat atta, rice, levy sugar, edible oil and iodized salt from the wholesale godown/sub wholesale godown/retail shops of H.P.S.C.S.C. Ltd. and the fair price shops to adjudge the quality of foodgrains.

The quality control staff of the Directorate also inspects the godowns, draw samples and physically verify the stocks stored in each and every food grains godown as per the norms fixed.

A foodgrains Laboratory has been set up at the Directorate level where the samples of rice and wheat are analysed and the sample of other commodities viz. wheat atta, levy sugar and edible oil are got analysed at Composite testing Laboratory, Kandaghat. Now the department has set up four mini laboratories at district Kangra, Mandi, Solan and Sirmour and in addition Analysis Kits has been provided to each District so that quality of foodgrains distributed under Targeted Public Distribution System could be checked at the time of receipt/issue.

Typed samples of foodgrains are displayed at the Fair Price Shops so that the consumers could check the quality of foodgrains being supplied to them under targeted Public Distribution System. A complaint register is also kept at the Fair Price Shop to enable the consumers to lodge their complaints in case quality of foodgrains is not as per the typed sample available at the fair Price Shop.

In order to check hoarding and profiteering and other mal-practices in the open market, the Department is vigorously enforcing various control/acts and exercising strict vigil on the track to ensure that no undue price rise takes place in the State. To ensure the availability of essential commodities at reasonable rates, the following actions were taken by the Department Officers/Officials as inspection targets detail given below:

1.Distt. Controller..............………25 per month

2.Distt. Inspector.........……….....30 per month

3.Inspector.…………………............37 per month

The position with regards to the inspections/checking during the period upto 01-04-2005 to 31-03-2006 is as under:

No. of Inspections......................................27044
Cases registered.........................................29            
Departmental actions..................................1166                                     
Written Warning Issued...............................1028                                                                        
Amount of security forfeited.........................Rs.6,29,437

Amount of goods confiscated in money terms into the State exchequer..............Rs.14,98,479