Kerala Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2021
Forms not included.
(1) This Order may be called the Kerala Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2021.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
Following shall be the duties and responsibilities of the ration card holders namely:-
(i) No person shall obtain or attempt to obtain a ration card by furnishing false information.
(ii) Any person who has received more than one ration card or who knows or has reason to believe that he is included in more than one household for which a ration card has been issued shall forthwith report the fact to the Taluk Supply Officer of the area in which he resides.
(iii) No person shall willfully alter or destroy, deface any of the entries on the ration card. If the holder of a ration card finds that some other person has, without lawful authority to do so, made an alteration on the ration card affecting its validity or the quantity or the kind of food grains obtainable on it, the holder of such ration card shall forthwith report the fact to the Taluk Supply Officer concerned:
Explanation.-- For the purpose of this para any a
(1) If any person obtains a ration card by providing false information, the following actions shall be initiated against such person, namely,-
(a) Criminal proceedings under Section 9 of the Act;
(b) In case of employees of Central or State Government, Public Sector Under Takings, Co-operative sector, Government aided autonomous bodies and local bodies, departmental disciplinary proceedings against such employees;
(c) suspension or cancellation of ration card;
(d) recovery of the loss sustained by Government, at the rate decided by the Government from time to time.
(1) The Government or Commissioner shall maintain ration card data in the digitized database namely Ration Card Management System and ensure that the issue of a new ration card and modification in the existing ration card is undertaken through such system so that the database is automatically updated.
(2) Changes in the Ration Card Management System in the case of a particular ration card holder must be reflected in the physical copy of the ration card held by him. It shall be the responsibility of the Taluk Supply Officer to ensure the same.
The list of ration card holders shall be displayed on the web portal of the Civil Supplies Department and on the notice boards of the local authority concerned at the time of review and fair price shops on all occasions:
Provided that the list of the ration card holders kept at the office of the Taluk Supply Officer shall be open for public inspection free of charge.
The Civil Supplies Department shall conduct regular checking of ration cards to weed out ineligible and bogus ration cards and bogus members in ration cards. This shall be a continuous exercise and the Government shall organize special drives during the months of January to March every year to eliminate bogus and ineligible ration cards as well as bogus members in the ration cards. The District Supply Officer, Taluk Supply Officer and Rationing Inspector shall be the responsible officers under this para in the district, taluk and firka respectively.
A ration card shall be valid from the date of issue until it is surrendered by the person to whom it is issued or cancelled or suspended by a competent authority.
(1) If in any case the issuance of ration card as provided in para 7 gets delayed even after inclusion of the data of the particular household in the Ration Card Management System, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Taluk Supply Officer may issue a temporary ration card to the head of the household to facilitate the distribution of his food grains till the new ration card is issued.
(2) A temporary ration card shall bear an inscription that it is temporary. Space shall be provided in it for six months.
(1) The Commissioner or the District Collector or any officer of the Civil Supplies Department not below the rank of the Taluk Supply Officer may at any time whether at the request of the person to whom any ration card has been issued or suo motu, after making such enquiry as may be deemed necessary and after giving the person an opportunity of being heard and for reasons to be recorded in writing, add to, amend, vary, suspend, cancel or revoke the ration card. Where any ration card is revoked, any person in possession of it shall forthwith surrender the same to the Commissioner or District Collector or the other officer as the case may be.
(2) Contravention of items (i) to (vii) of para 10 would entail cancellation of ration card and recovery of loss sustained by Government at the rate decided by Government from time to time.
(3) When a ration card is cancelled it shall be effected by the Taluk Supply Officer in ink whether by means of a dye or stamp or otherwise or b
(1) For the purpose of obtaining any food grains, the District Supply Officer may issue ration permit in the form given at Form 'B' at Annexure II to establishments such as welfare institutions, hostels and other institutions recognized by the Government, for the purpose, if any.
(i) "Welfare Institutions" means residential establishments intended for orphans, destitute or such other persons recognized by Social Justice Department or Women and Child Development Department of Kerala or registered with Orphanage Control Board of Kerala.
(ii) "Hostels" means hostels or boarding institutions coming under the 'Welfare Institutions and Hostels Scheme' of Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India vide Office Memorandum No. 9-5/2014-BP-II dated 1st September, 2017 as amended from time to time and suc
Any person requiring ration permit under sub-para (1) above may apply to the District Supply Officer of the District concerned in form given at Form 'C' at Annexure III. The District Supply Officer may make or cause to be made, such enquiry as he deems fit, for verification of the information furnished by the applicant and issue ration permit in the name of the authorized establishment proprietor, on payment of fee specified by the Government.
(1) In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires,--
(a) "Act" means the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (Central Act 10 of 1955);
(b) "Authorized Agency" means Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco);
(c) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Civil Supplies and includes the Director of Civil Supplies;
(d) "Controller" means the Controller of Rationing;
(e) "Designated Authority" means any officer not below the rank of Taluk Supply Officer;
(f) "Director" means the Director of Civil Supplies;
(g) "District Collector" means the Collector and District Magistrate of a revenue District;
(h) "District Supply Officer" means an officer appointed as such by Government for each district;
(i) "Fair Price Shop owner" means a person and includes a co-operative society or a body corporate or a company of a Governmen
A ration permit shall be valid for a period as decided by the Government from time to time.
(1) Every application for renewal of ration permit shall be made before the District Supply Officer along with the original copy of the permit at least forty five days before the date of expiry of such permit. The application for renewal of ration permit shall be in form given at Form 'D' at Annexure IV along with a renewal fee specified by Government:
Provided that such officer may admit application for renewal of ration permit after its expiry but within a period of thirty days if he or she is satisfied that the applicant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the application in time.
(2) The District Supply Officer shall dispose an application for renewal of ration permit before the date of its expiry, after making necessary enquiry as he may deem fit.
(1) The authorized establishment proprietor shall be responsible for drawing the food grains as per the ration permit and the ration permit shall be used only for the purpose for which it is issued. If the establishment is run by a board or a body responsible for the management, each and every member of such body shall be responsible for the proper use of the ration permit and for the storage and usage of the food grains and maintenance of proper registers and accounts regarding the usage of the food grains. They shall be proceeded under the Act for any violations.
(2) No authorized establishment proprietor shall obtain any food grains on the permit unless he is registered with any fair price shop or with an intermediate godown specified in the permit or as directed by the Taluk Supply Officer from time to time.
(3) No person shall obtain or attempt to obtain a ration permit by furnishing false information.
(4) Every authorized establishment proprietor shall, in
(1) Regular one round inspection of all the establishments within a firka shall be conducted by the Rationing Inspector once in two months. The Taluk Supply Officer shall inspect thirty per cent of the total establishments within a Taluk and the District Supply Officer shall inspect minimum twenty percent of the total establishments within a district once in two months without fail.
(2) Every authorized establishment proprietor shall give all reasonable facilities at all time to the District Collector or any officer of the Civil Supplies Department not below the rank of the Rationing Inspector to inspect the stock of the food grains in the establishment and the accounts relating to the establishment and make a report of the findings.
On receipt of a report from any of the officers referred to in para 23 above or on inspection of the stock or accounts of an establishment, if the District Collector or any officer of the Civil Supplies Department not below the rank of a Taluk Supply Officer find any irregularities in the accounts or detects non-compliance with any of the directions issued by competent authorities, he may, after giving the authorized establishment proprietor an opportunity of being heard and for reasons to be recorded in writing amend, vary, suspend or cancel the permit or recover loss, if any, sustained by Government, calculated as the difference in prices between the market cost of the food grains as may be decided by the State/Central Government and at the rate at which food grains were obtained. He may also suspend the permit granted to the establishment pending enquiry.
The Government or Commissioner may, on application and after such enquiry as may be considered necessary, issue special permits in public interest for Government purpose for obtaining food grains. Application for Special Permit shall be given in such forms given at Form 'F' at Annexure VI. Such applications shall specify the purpose for which the special permit is applied for and the quantity of food grains required. The permit shall indicate the quantity and price of food grains permitted to be purchased, and from where it is to be purchased and the period of its validity. The special permit shall be surrendered to the intermediate godown in charge or to the fair price shop owner at the time of drawal of food grains.
(1) No person or self help groups or women activity groups or women collectives or co-operatives or any other body as may be decided by Government from time to time shall carry on the operation of a fair price shop in any rationed area unless the shop has been licensed in his/its name under and in accordance with a licence issued in that behalf by the Licensing Authority:
Provided that all Authorized Retail Distributors existing under the Kerala Rationing Order, 1966, on the date of coming into force of this Order shall be deemed to be licensed as fair price shop owner under this Order, if such licensee is willing to apply for the licence specified under this Order within 6 months from the date of coming into force of this Order or within the period as extended by the Government from time to time.
(2) The District Supply Officer shall be the Licensing Authority to issue licence to fair price shops under the provisions of this Order.
The priorities in allotment of fair price shops shall be as follows:-
(i) Self-help groups/ women activity groups/ women collectives;
(ii) Panchayaths;
(iii) Co-operative societies;
(iv) Ex-service men;
(v) Educated unemployed persons;
(vi) Salesman having 10 years experience.
(1) In order to be licenced as a fair price shop owner, a person;
(i) should have attained 21 years of age as on the 1st day of January in which year the application is made.
(ii) should have attained 18 years of age as on the 1st day of January in which year the application is made in case of appointment on compassionate ground.
(iii) should not be above 62 years of age as on the 1st day of January in which year the application is made.
(iv) should have passed 10th Standard conducted by the Board of Public Examinations, Kerala or equivalent.
(v) should be physically and mentally capable of acting as a fair price shop owner.
(vi) should be residing in the local authority in which the fair price shop situates for a period of three years preceding the date of application. Preference shall be given to the applicants residing in the ward in which the fair price shop situates:
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No fair price shop licence shall be granted to a person if,-
(i) he is convicted for the contravention of any of the orders issued under the Act or the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006) or any other offence involving moral turpitude.
(ii) he is a full-time/part-time employee of Government or a salaried employee of public/private/co-operative sector establishments or who receives honorarium from Government for any permanent assignment.
(iii) any other member of the household is a fair price shop owner.
(1) The Government shall issue ration card to the following categories of households, namely:-
(a) eligible households, as prescribed in Rule 3 of the rules:-
(b) (i) General/Non-priority households, as provided in the Rule 4 of the rules.
(ii) Non-Priority (Non-Subsidy) Households.
(2) Following shall be the colours of ration card of different categories of households.
(a) Antyodaya household-yellow
(b) Priority household-pink
(c) Non-Priority (Subsidy)-blue
(d) Non-Priority household (Non-Subsidy)-white
(3) State-Priority households.- as provided in Rule 5 of the Rules.
(4) Ration cards shall contain its number, the address of the household, name, age, monthly income of the head of the household and the members included therein and their relation with the head of household and name and number of the Fair Price Shop in which the ration
The self help groups or women activity groups or women collectives;
(i) shall be a unit/group recognised under schemes of State or Central Government.
(ii) shall have area of operation within the local authority in which the fair price shop situates, preferably in the ward in which the fair price shop situates.
The co-operative societies shall be eligible for the grant of Fair Price Shop licence subject to the following conditions, namely:-
(i) it shall be a Society registered under the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act, 1969 (Act 21 of 1969).
(ii) it shall have activities relating to agriculture promotion, public distribution system, consumer activities, distribution of agriculture commodities, marketing of agriculture produce, public welfare or related activities as one of its objects enumerated in bye-laws:
Provided that the societies formed exclusively for the benefit of women and for persons belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes may also be considered eligible to apply against reservation vacancies of the said categories.
(iii) It shall have area of operation within the local authority in which the fair price shop situates, preferably in the ward in which the fair price shop situates.
The applicants for Fair Price Shop licence,-
(i) shall possess or able to provide a strong and spacious building having capacity to store food grains requirement of two months at 14 sq.ft per 10 quintal basis together with separate working space of 40 sq.ft and kerosene storage space at 5 sq.ft per barrel. The building shall have direct public access equipped with electric connection for installing computer and electronic point of sale machine.
(ii) shall be solvent to the tune of Rs.1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh only) and the solvency certificate in the form of Treasury Fixed Deposit Certificate should be duly pledged in the name of the Licensing Authority:
Provided that the applicant from the category of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe or Self Help Groups or Women Activity Groups or Women Collectives need only to furnish a solvency to the tune of Rs. 50,000 (Rupees Fifty Thousand only):
Provided further that the existing Au
(1) Out of the total number of permanent authorized fair price shop owners licensed under this Order in the area of each District Supply Officer, eight percent shall be reserved for candidate belonging to Scheduled Castes and two percent to those belonging to Scheduled Tribes, five percent to persons with disability and twenty percent for women candidates:
Provided that the vacancies filled up by nomination or compassionate ground or salesman provided in para 37 (1) to (6) shall not be reckoned for such reservation:
Provided that, if the Scheduled Tribe population in the Panchayat or Municipality or Corporation Ward where a fair price shop is to be reserved for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes is less than 1% of the population of that Panchayat or Municipality or Corporation Ward as per the existing census at the relevant time that vacancy shall be carried forward until a vacancy of fair price shop arises in the District in any other Panchayat or Munici
(1) When a vacancy of fair price shop arises by way of cancellation of existing licence or surrender of existing licence or expiry of licence or sanctioning of fresh fair price shop, the Licensing Authority shall, within one week of arising of such vacancy, invite application, by publishing notice in three local dailies having wide circulation and also in the notice boards of Village and Panchayats in the local area of such fair price shop.
(2) The individuals, in Form 'G' given at Annexure VII and self help groups or women activity groups or women collectives or co-operatives in
(1) Every selected applicant shall, before a licence is issued to him, deposit an amount of Rs. 5000/- (Rupees Five Thousand only) as security deposit by way of treasury challan or in the manner specified by the Commissioner from time to time for the due performance of his work:
Provided that the existing Authorized Retail Distributors who are licensed under the Kerala Rationing Order, 1966 need not furnish the security specified in sub-para (i) above. They shall furnish the security existing on the date of coming into force of this Order as and when they apply for the licence as provided under proviso to para 26.
(1) In the event of delay in issuing licence to a fair price shop or when the licence of a fair price shop owner is suspended pending enquiry, the Licencing Authority may attach the fair price shop to the nearest fair price shop in the locality. If this is not feasible, the Licensing Authority, on such terms and conditions as he may deem fit, may, issue licence provisionally to a person or self help groups or women activity groups or women collectives or co-operative societies in respect of any area, for a specified period not exceeding six months without observing the formalities specified under this order:
Provided that no person or self help groups or women activity groups or women collectives or co-operative societies shall be given licence provisionally for more than two times consecutively for a particular fair price shop:
Provided further that not more than one fair price shop shall be attached to a fair price shop.
(2) The person or self help
(1) The existing Authorized Retail Distributors under the Kerala Rationing Order, 1966, who have obtained the licence provided under proviso to para 26, in the event of his being incapable of running the fair price shop owing to old age or illness or attaining the age of 70 years or in the event of death, may nominate his/her legal heir as the next licencee of such fair price shop. The willingness of the nominee shall also be produced along with nomination. Nomination shall be exercised in Form 'J' given at Annexure X.
(2) If the nomination is submitted in the event of his being incapable of running the fair price shop owing to old age or illness or attaining the age of 70 years, the Licensing Authority after verification of the medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner in this regard and after conducting necessary enquiry, may grant licence provisionally to the nominee without insisting on the production of proof of financial stability. Such licence s
Every license issued under this Order shall, unless cancelled earlier, be valid for a period of five years or part thereof and expire on the 31st day of March of the fifth succeeding year.
Explanation:-- For the purpose of this para 'Year' means the financial year commencing on the 1st day of April and ending on the 31st day of March of the succeeding year.
(1) Every application for renewal of licence shall be made before the Licensing Authority, along with the original copy of the licence at least forty five days before the date of expiry of such licence. The application for renewal of licence shall be in Form 'K' given at Annexure XI and a renewal fee of Rs.1000 (Rupees One Thousand only) shall be deposited through treasury challan or in the manner specified by the Commissioner from time to time.
(2) Licensing Authority shall dispose an application for renewal of licence within 3 months:
Provided that where an application for renewal of a licence has been received by the Licensing Authority within the specified period and not rejected or returned to the applicant, the validity of licence shall not be deemed to have been expired until disposal of the application.
(3) No fresh licence granted after the coming into force of this Order shall be renewed once the licensee attains 70 years of age.
(4
In order to be eligible for getting a ration card of the appropriate type as provided in this Order, the head of the household or member of the household shall satisfy the following conditions namely:-
(i) he shall be a citizen of India; and
(ii) he shall be a resident of the State;
(iii) he shall not be included in any ration card anywhere else in India;
(iv) he shall abide by the other conditions, if any, specified by the Government or Commissioner from time to time:
Provided that the Government may also issue a ration card to a household or a person residing in the State by virtue of that household or person being granted the status of a refugee and is allowed the entitlement of benefits on humanitarian grounds by the Central Government:
Provided further that a ration card may be issued to a person, even if the house of such applicant does not bear a number duly assigned by the local
The Licensing Authority may cancel or refuse to renew any licence, if,-
(a) it is of the opinion that the performance of the fair price shop owner in distributing food grains to the entitled households is not satisfactory;
(b) the fair price shop owner has acted in contravention of any provision of the Act or the National Food Security Act, 2013 (Central Act 20 of 2013) or any order issued there under or terms and conditions of licence;
(c) if the fair price shop owner has shifted his residence from the local authority in which the fair price shop situates:
Provided that this sub para shall not applicable, if his/her residence is being shifted to another local authority on account of delimitation:
Provided further that, the fair price shop owner shall be given an opportunity for stating his case and an opportunity of being heard in person.
If a licence is distorted, lost or destroyed, this shall be informed by the fair price shop owner to the Licensing Authority immediately by presenting an application supported by notarized affidavit to the effect that it is distorted, lost or destroyed, with a fee of double amount of licensing fee, deposited through treasury challan or in the manner specified by the Commissioner from time to time. A duplicate copy of the licence shall be issued by the Licensing Authority after necessary verification.
(1) The fair price shop owner shall,-
(i) on demand and on offer of price specified and on production of the ration document or Aadhaar, supply to the card holder or a proxy, the food grains not exceeding the quantity or part thereof;
(ii) issue cash bills for sale noting the number of ration document, name of the ration document holder and such other particulars as specified by the Commissioner from time to time. He shall not realize any price or any charges in excess of what is fixed by the Commissioner by way of transportation charges, handling charges or any other charges from the ration card holders or permit holders;
(iii) behave with the ration card holders cordially and with due courtesy;
(iv) maintain electronic weighing machines duly verified in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 (Central Act 1 of 2009) and the rules issued there under and to keep ve
(i) The fair price shop owners shall distribute food grains only through electronic point of sale device, after verifying the identity of the ration card holder;
(ii) The fair price shop owners shall maintain electronic point of sale device in accordance with the direction of the Government or the Commissioner from time to time and report the errors at the earliest for rectification;
(iii) The fair price shop owners shall not cause deliberate degradation or disruption or damage etc. to the electronic point of sale device installed at their shop;
(iv) The fair price shop owner shall keep the electronic point of sale device in the fair price shop itself;
(v) Where transactions may fail due to system errors, the fair price shop owner shall contact the technical helpline at the earliest, not exceeding one hour and inform the matter to the Rationing Inspector concerned,
within the above-mentioned time frame;
A fair price shop shall be kept open from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m to 12.30 p.m and from 3.30 p.m to 7.30 p.m and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 3.30 p.m. to 8 pm. Sundays and approved holidays declared by the Civil Supplies Department shall be holidays for fair price shops.
(1) No fair price shop owner shall change his business place without the prior sanction of the Licensing Authority. If a fair price shop owner wants to change his business place specified in his licence, he shall submit to the Licensing Authority a written application for this purpose stating reasons and identification details of the proposed place of change in the Form 'O' given at Annexure XV:
Provided that the proposed business place shall be within the limit of area specified in his licence.
(2) The Licensing Authority shall take a decision accepting or rejecting the application within one month from the date of its receipt. If the request is accepted, the Licensing Authority shall order for necessary changes in the licence and in the licence register of the office.
(1) Any ration document holder desirous of obtaining copy of extracts from the records of a fair price shop owner, may make a written request and the copy of requested records shall be provided to the applicant within fourteen days from the date of receipt of the request by receiving payment of Rs.2 (Rupees Two only) per page or the actual cost of copying whichever is lesser.
(2) Any ration document holder who was not provided with the extracts as requested under sub-para (1) may file a complaint to the Taluk Supply Officer. The Taluk Supply Officer shall ensure that the copy is furnished within two weeks from the date of filing the complaint. He may hear the parties if necessary.
(3) Non-supply of entitled records shall be considered as a contravention of this Order and entail disciplinary action provided in para 49.
(4) Every fair price shop owner shall keep all the records related to the fair price shop safe at least for three years, and he may destroy these
Whenever the existing issue price of food grains is revised, the stock of the food grains with the fair price shop owner as on the beginning of the day from which the revised issue price shall come into force, shall be assessed by the fair price shop owner and intimated to the Taluk Supply Officer or any other officer authorized by the Government for the purpose. In the case of hike in price, differential cost on the quantity of food grains so held in stock should be remitted to the State. Similarly in the case of revision to a lower price a refund claim for the differential cost shall be submitted by the fair price shop owner to Taluk Supply Officer or any other officer authorized by the Government for the purpose.
(1) Every fair price shop owner shall give all reasonable facilities at all times to the District Collector or any officer of the Civil Supplies Department not below the rank of Rationing Inspector or any Audit Officer attached to the Civil Supplies Department or State Food Commission or District Grievance Redressal Officer or Chief Executive of the local body concerned or any person authorized by the Vigilance Committee or any officer authorized by the Government or the State Food Commission or the Commissioner or the District Collector to inspect the stock and accounts in the shop.
(2) Regular one round inspection of all the fair price shops within a firka shall be conducted by the Rationing Inspector concerned once in two months. The Taluk Supply Officer shall inspect minimum thirty fair price shops within a Taluk and the District Supply Officer shall inspect minimum twenty fair price shops within a district once in two months without fail. Failure to conduct statutory ins
(1) If the District Collector or any officer of the Civil Supplies Department not below the rank of a Taluk Supply Officer, on receipt of the report from any of the officers referred to sub-paras (1) and (2) of para 48 or on receipt of a complaint from a ration card holder or from his own inspection of the stocks and accounts in a shop finds contravention of conditions of licence or non-compliance with any of the directions issued by the Competent Authorities or contravention of the provisions of this Order or any order issued under Section 3 of the Act or the National Food Security Act, 2013 (Central Act 20 of 2013) or Rules or Orders issued there under or on finding shortage or excess in the quantity of food grains or any other irregularities relating to accounts, he may for reasons to be recorded in writing, amend, vary, suspend or cancel his license in addition to forfeiture of security deposit as specified by Commissioner from time to time:
Provided that except for
(1) The Taluk Supply Officer is authorized to receive, register, acknowledge and process the application for issuance of ration card or modification in the ration card within his rationing area.
(2) The Taluk Supply Officer may, on receipt of such application and after such enquiry as he considers necessary shall issue or modify the ration card.
(1) It shall be the responsibility of the Taluk Supply Officer to ensure the payment of margin money at the rates decided by the Government from time to time to the fair price shop owner on or before the last day of succeeding month. The deliberate failure to disburse margin to the fair price shop owner shall lead to disciplinary proceedings against such officer. The margin shall be limited to the actual transactions to actual beneficiaries made through electronic point of sale device.
(2) If the fair price shop owner intentionally fails to deliver entitled food grains to the beneficiaries, the food security allowance under the Food Security Allowance Rules, 2015 calculated in such cases shall be deducted from the security deposit of such fair price shop owner or the commission amount due to him.
Subject to the conditions to be fixed, the Government may permit diversification of commodities and services other than those distributed under Targeted Public Distribution system at the fair price shops to improve the viability of the fair price shop operations.
Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (SUPPLYCO) shall be the Authorised Agency to lift food grains from the godowns and to store the food grains in intermediate godowns and to organise Intra-State movement for delivery of the allocated food grains at the door-step of each fair price shop.
(1) The Director, on getting allocation of food grains from the Central Government, issue allocation orders either manually or through the Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) to the District Supply Officers concerned who in turn shall arrange lifting of food grains from the godowns through the Authorised Agency.
(2) The Taluk Supply Officer shall ensure that one copy of the allocation order pertaining to a fair price shop received through Supply Chain Management System is delivered to the local authority, vigilance committees of the rationing area concerned and any other body nominated by the Government for monitoring the functioning of the fair price shop.
(3) The Civil Supplies Department shall ensure that the allocation order depicting the stocks of food grains allotted during the month to the fair price shops is displayed on the public domain including the portal of the Civil Supplies Department.
(4) Before taking delivery of food grains from the godowns,
(1) The Authorised Agency shall devise suitable mechanism for transportation of food grains from the godowns to the intermediate godowns and the door-step delivery of the food grains to the fair price shop:
Provided that the Authorised Agency may also transport food grains directly from the godown to the fair price shop and ensure its door-step delivery at the fair price shop.
(2) Authorised Agency shall arrange adequate number of vehicles for transportation purpose.
(3) Authorised Agency shall devise suitable mechanism to track the vehicles involved in transportation of food grains so as to prevent substitution or adulteration or diversion or theft of stocks.
(1) In order to ensure that full quantity and the same quality of food grains as lifted by the Authorised Agency reaches the intermediate godowns and in turn at the fair price shop, Authorised Agency shall,-
(i) issue sealed sample of each variety of food grains to the fair price shop, at the time of door step delivery, for displaying at the shops.
(ii) ensure weighment of food grains at the intermediate godowns and fair price shops.
(iii) issue weighment slip to the fair price shop owner at the time of door-step delivery. Weighment slip shall contain the details as to variety of food grains, net weight, number of bags, loose grains issued, if any, etc.
(2) The Authorised Agency shall ensure physical delivery of food grains to the fair price shop by the first week of the allocation month and in any case not later than the second week of the allocation month.
(3) On delivery of the food grains, the receipt shall be o
(1) Intermediate godowns shall be maintained in the following manner,-
(i) The stocks of food grains shall be stored and stacked safely and scientifically.
(ii) Measures should be taken to ensure safe storage of food grains and to prevent it from insect infestation, bird infestation, rodent infestation, natural moisture and excess sunlight.
(iii) Steps should be taken to keep the food grains away from chemicals, pesticides or poisonous substances. Inspection shall be made monthly by the Quality Controller of Authorized Agency to ensure the same.
(iv) Whenever infestation of any kind is noticed at any time, immediate scientific curative treatment should be taken to control the same.
(v) The criteria specified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for storage of food grains shall be followed scrupulously in each intermediate godown.
(vi) The intermediate godowns sh
(1) The Quality Controller of Authorised Agency shall conduct periodic inspection once in a month on the quality of stocks at intermediate godown, including the Custom Milled Rice and should record the details of inspection in the register kept for the purpose. Inspection of Custom Milled Rice shall be done before accounting it into the stocks and if such item does not meet the quality standards it shall be returned.
(2) Regular verification of stocks (counting of stocks) of the intermediate godown shall be conducted by the Taluk Supply Officer in addition to the surprise inspection that may be conducted at any time. The verifications shall be done at the end of each quarter or as per the directions of the Government. Non inspection of stocks as directed by Government shall invite major disciplinary action against the Taluk Supply Officer concerned.
(3) Taluk Supply Officer shall conduct the periodic inspections once in a month at the intermediate godowns under his jur
(1) Authorised Agency shall maintain proper accounts relating to expenses incurred towards lifting, transportation, storage and delivery.
(2) The expenses in this regard incurred in a month shall be informed to the Government through the Commissioner within the 15th day of the succeeding month.
(3) Authorised Agency shall regularly audit the accounts and audited annual accounts shall be given to the Government.
(4) Authorised Agency shall timely furnish to the Government the details specified under sub-rule (6) of Rule 10 and Rule 11 of the Food Security (Assistance to State Governments) Rules, 2015.
Transit and storage losses may be allowed at the rates fixed by the Government from time to time.
(1) An application for a new ration card or modification in the existing ration card or various ration card related services shall be in Form 'A-1 to A-12' at Annexure I and may be presented directly by the head of the household with photograph to the Taluk Supply Officer of the rationing area concerned or through online.
(2) Modification in the existing ration card may be made on account of shifting of residence, birth or death, change in category of beneficiary, corrections in the details mentioned in the card or any other such reasons.
(3) In the case of shifting of household from one rationing area to another rationing area, the head of the household shall file an application to the Taluk Supply Officer of the new area for getting ration card for the new area and the Taluk Supply Officer shall issue the ration card for the new area after due verification.
(4) Where there is an addition to the members of the household the head of the household may appl
To modernize and to bring about transparency in the Targeted Public Distribution System, the Government shall implement end-to-end computerisation, which inter alia include,--
(i) Ration Card Management System (RCMS) for digitization of ration cards & beneficiary records and to enable ration document related services and updations through online platform;
(ii) Fair Price Shop Automation consisting of installation of electronic Point of Sale (e-PoS) devices at fair price shops for distribution of food grains through Aadhaar based authentication and electronic record-keeping of the sale transactions;
(iii) Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) which includes computerization of supply chain management, integration with the software of Food Corporation of India, integration with the software of Authorised Agency, online allocation of food grains;
(iv) Setting up of transparency portals and grievance redressal mechan
(1) The District Collector or any officer of the Civil Supplies Department not below the rank of a Rationing Inspector, within his jurisdiction or any officer duly authorized on this behalf by the Government/Commissioner/District Collector or an officer of and above the rank of District Supply Officer, with a view to securing compliance with the provisions of this Order or has reasons to believe on receipt of a complaint or otherwise that there has been any contravention of the provisions of this Order or to satisfy himself that this Order or any order relating to Targeted Public Distribution System issued by Central Government or State Government has been complied with, may:-
(i) Enter, inspect, break open or search any place or premises being made use of or suspected to be made use of by the Authorised Agency, fair price shop owner, transporter, or any other person;
(ii) Stop and search any person or animal, vessel or vehicle or any other convey
(1) Any person aggrieved by any original order passed under this Order may within thirty days from the date of receipt of such order, prefer appeal,-
(i) In the case of an order passed by any of the following officers, the officers specified against them, as per the following schedule:-
| Officers issuing Original Orders | Appellate Authority |
| Taluk Supply Officer/City Rationing Officer/District Supply Officer | District Collector |
| Deputy Controller/Vigilance Officer/Controller of Rationing |
The Government may, either suo motu or on application from any person, call for and examine the records of any order passed by the Director or any other subordinate authority under the provisions of this Order for the purpose of satisfying itself as to the legality or to the propriety of such order and may pass such interlocutory orders as are deemed necessary and also pass such final orders in reference to the record as the Government may deem fit:
Provided that no order to the disadvantage of person shall be passed under this para unless the person concerned is given an opportunity of making any representation which he may wish to make against such order.
(1) The Controller of Rationing at the State level, Deputy Controller of Rationing at the Zonal level, the District Supply Officer at the District level, Taluk Supply Officer /City Rationing Officer at the Taluk level, Rationing Inspector at the firka/city area shall monitor the implementation of the Targeted Public Distribution System in the State.
(2) Review of the operation of the Public Distribution System at the State level shall be conducted by the Government/Commissioner and at the district level by the District Collector once in a month.
(3) The Vigilance Committees set up at various levels under the rules shall regularly supervise the implementation of all schemes under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (Central Act 20 of 2013) and perform other functions as specified in the said Act.
Officers of the Civil Supplies Department and SUPPLYCO appointed for the purpose by the Government shall certify the genuineness of food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System, if in any case such food grains is found to be diverted or substituted. For the purpose, the Committee shall take into consideration the relevant factors such as comparison with samples from godowns/Custom Milled Rice mills, Food Corporation of India stencils, bills etc.
No suit, prosecution, other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything which is done or intended to be done in good faith in pursuance of this Order.
The Government may, from time to time give such directions as it deem necessary for execution of all or any of the provisions of this Order.
The Taluk Supply Officer shall, after necessary checks and verification and after inclusion of data in the Ration Card Management System, issue a ration card within the time limit specified in the notification published in Gazette No. 4 dated 22nd January, 2013 in part III, Vol. 2 issued under the Kerala State Right to Service Act, 2012 as amended from time to time.
(1) The ration card holder or any member of the household included in the ration card shall draw his entitled quantity of food grains from a fair price shop in which his name is registered or any fair price shop as and when the portability service available, on payment of the price, if any, fixed by the Government and after verifying his identity through the electronic point of sale device or such other instruments installed in the fair price shop:
Provided that in the case of a card holder who is bedridden or who is above sixty five years of age, or who is differently-abled or who is not in a position to visit the fair price shop for himself and have no other adult member between the age of sixteen and sixty five years listed in such ration card, such person can nominate any other person to be his proxy to draw the food grains provided the proxy fulfills the following conditions:-
(i) the proxy must be a ration card holder tagged to the same fai
(1) The Commissioner, District Collector, Controller of Rationing, District Supply Officer or Taluk Supply Officer as the case may be, may, by Order, direct that any ration card holder shall draw food grains from any particular fair price shop.
(2) The Government or the Commissioner may, by Order, permit portability which enables those ration card holders whose names are included in the Ration Card Management System and identified with the Aadhaar Data, to draw the food grains from a fair price shop of their choice, through Aadhaar authentication.
(3) As and when the inter-state/Union Territory portability is implemented throughout the territory of India, the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, Priority House Holds and National Food Security Act ration card holder may buy food grains from any fair price shop in the State and vice versa through Aadhaar authentication.
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