Universal Public Distribution System is being implemented in our State for more than 50 years. It ensures food security to all categories of people without any discrimination on socio-economic status. As per the National Food Security Act, rice and wheat are being provided to the priority ration card holders. Under Universal Public Distribution System rice, wheat, sugar, Kerosene and under Special Public Distribution System Tur Dal and Palmolein Oil are distributed to both priority and non priority card holders. In order to ensure that card holders get additional nutrition in their food and to harness the nutritive value of millets, ragi is distributed at the scale of 2 kg per family per month in lieu of rice entitlement in Nilgiris and Dharmapuri Districts. This scheme is implemented from 03.05.2023.

Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation procures rice and other essential commodities required for public distribution system from Food Corporation of India and through E- tenders. Distribution of commodities through fair price shops is being carried out by Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and the Cooperative societies.

• FAIR PRICE SHOPS

The Public Distribution System is implemented through 1,546 fair price shops functioning under the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation are as follows:-

Sl.No	Agency	Full-Time	Part-Time	Total
1	Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation	1327	219	1546

Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation lifts essential commodities from Food Corporation of India and stores them in 271 operational godowns located all over the state. From the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation operational godowns, stocks are moved by lead Cooperative Societies / self lifting societies and delivered at the doorsteps of fair price shops. Similarly, Sugar is moved by Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation from the respective Cooperative / Private Sugar Mills and distributed through its operational godowns. Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation also procures various other essential commodities for Special Public Distribution System directly from the market through e-tenders and also through designated Government of India agencies.

• RICE

Rice is being distributed to the family card holders who have exercised option for rice and to the Antyodaya Anna Yojana Card holders.

The Present Monthly Allotment of Rice and Issue Price for the rice allotted from the Central pool through Food Corporation of India are as under

Sl.No.	Category	Monthly allotment (in MTs)	Price (Rupees per Kg.)
1.	Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)	58707.810	0.00
2.	Priority cards	134252.730	0.00
3.	Tide over	82871.100	8.30
	Total	275831.640

Note:
Rice is being lifted from food corporation of india (FCI) every month based on the government of india allocation. The above allocation issued from january 2026 onwards. The allocation released in january 2026 is subject to monthly revisions, and subsequent lifting is carried out as per the revised monthly allocations.

• SUGAR

Sugar is being distributed to the eligible family card holders as per monthly allotment under Public Distribution System and average monthly off take is 30,000 MT. Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation procures Sugar from Tamil Nadu Co-operative Sugar Federation and if necessary from open market. The subsidized selling price of sugar for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) family cards is Rs.13.50 per Kg. and for other cards is Rs.25/- per Kg. The cost over and above the selling price is borne by the State Government.

• WHEAT

As per the National Food Security Act of 2013, Now the Government of India have allotted 30647.960 MT. of Wheat to Tamil Nadu for Public Distribution System to Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Household card holders. The family Card Holders who belongs to Tamil Nadu Greater Chennai Corporation and District Headquarters can receive 10 kgs of wheat instead of rice and where as other district only 5 kgs of wheat is allowed to receive from the ration shops.

• SCALE OF SUPPLY OF COMMODITIES

Under Public Distribution system, rice is distibuted free of cost. Wheat, Sugar and Kerosene are being distributed at subsidised prices.

Sl. No.	Name of the commodity	Price per kg	Scale of supply
1	Rice	Free of Cost	As per the National Food Security Act, 2013 all rice cardholders are eligible for 5 kg of rice per person (including children) per month. As per Universal Public Distribution System of Tamil Nadu the earlier scale supplies was not altered and same quantity is being supplied as under: If, there is only one person in a family card, 12 kg of rice is provided while a member receives 5 kg only under NFSA. The entitlements are as below : (1 adult member = 1 unit, 1 child = 0.5unit) 1 Unit – 12 kg, 1.5 Units – 14 Kg, 2 Units - 16 Kg, 2.5 Units - 18 kg, 3 Units (or) 4 Units - 20 Kg.5 Units and above get 5 kg of rice per member. AAY cardholders can draw 35 kg of rice per card. A maximum of 20 kg of food grains is being provided to Non-Priority Family card (NPHH) having 3 or more family members.
2	Sugar	Rs.13.50 per Kg for AAY cards and Rs.25.00 per Kg for all other cards.	500 grams per head per month subject to a maximum of 2 kg for rice option cards. sugar cardholders, 500 grams per head per month plus an additional quantity of 3 kg subject to a maximum of 5 kg per month.
3	Wheat	Free of Cost	Maximum of 10kg per card per month in Chennai City and District Headquarters and 5 kg per card per month in other areas in lieu of rice.
4	Kerosene	Ranging from Rs.15.00 to Rs.16.50 per Litre	Distribution is done based on the place of residence and the possession of LPG connection to the family cardholders.
5	Tur Dal	Rs.30.00 per Kg	1 Kg per card per month
6	Palmolein Oil	Rs.25.00 Per Litre	1 Litre per card per month

• Ramzan Nonbu Kanji

Every year during the holy month of Ramzan muslims observe fasting.In order to prepare Nonbu Kanji to the muslims who observe fasting, the Government of Tamil Nadu is providing Raw Rice to the Mosque @ Rs.1/- Per Kg based on the concerned District Collectors bulk allotment. Accordingly, a quantity of 44,677.960 MTs of Raw Rice have been issued to Mosque during 2021 to 2026 to prepare Nonbu Kanji.

• Thayumanavar Scheme

Under the Thayumanavar Scheme in Tamil Nadu, Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities are being delivered directly to the homes of senior citizen family card holders aged above 65 years and persons with disabilities who are attached to the Amudham Fair Price Shops operated by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, as well as Fair Price Shops functioning under Co-operatives, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and other Co-operative societies across all districts.

• SPECIAL PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Government introduced the Special Public Distribution System through which pulses and packed fortified palmolein oil are distributed to the family card holders,to control the rise in prices of pulses and edible ol in the open market. The Fortified RBD Palmolein oil contains Vitamin A- 25 IU & Vitamin D-2 IU in each gram. Turd al and Palmolein Oil are being supplied to the family card holders under Special Public Distribution System. A quantity of 20,000 MT of Tud dal and 156 Lakh litres of Palmolein oil are being purchased.