The Secretary of the Department of Food & Public Distribution, Shri Sanjeev Chopra, chaired a conference of State Food Secretaries on 1 September 2026 in New Delhi to review key issues relating to procurement, public distribution, and storage of foodgrains. The meeting was attended by Food Secretaries of various States/UTs and officers of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Procurement Targets and Quality Standards
For the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2026–27, paddy procurement was fixed at 708.64 LMT. The conference introduced improved rice quality standards, with raw rice procured to contain up to 10% broken grains (replacing 25%) and parboiled rice limited to 5% broken grains (replacing 16%). Procurement of improved rice will commence from KMS 2026–27 and be progressively expanded across procuring States, who were requested to assess milling capacity and prepare a phased implementation roadmap. Additionally, 18.85 LMT of coarse grains has been estimated for procurement during KMS 2026–27.
Coarse Grains and Procurement Technology
The conference reviewed procurement and distribution plans for coarse grains, millets, and minor millets, noting that 16.38 LMT were procured during 2025–26—the highest in five years. Progress under the Procurement Centre Smart-Assessment Portal (PCSAP) was reviewed, including the introduction of AI-based image validation from KMS 2026–27. The proposed online physical verification of paddy starting from KMS 2026–27 was discussed, and best practices from States were recognized: Andhra Pradesh for best implementation of Improved Rice Scheme, Punjab for best performance in JPV and PCSAP, Karnataka for excellence in procurement of Shree Anna, and Chhattisgarh as the first State to implement AgriStack in paddy procurement.
Storage Capacity and Technology Implementation
The New Storage Policy aims to address mismatches between procurement and offtake, regional imbalances, and under-utilisation of storage capacity by creating 131 LMT additional storage capacity (111 LMT by States and 20 LMT by FCI). Identified States were requested to submit time-bound action plans and onboard storage facilities on the Depot Darpan Portal. States were advised to complete implementation of the Vehicle Location Tracking System (VLTS) for GPS-based real-time tracking by December 2026, with identified States targeted for completion by September 2026. The Procurement Optimisation Tool, already installed in Punjab and Haryana, requires remaining States to prepare and update Procurement Centre, Mill, and Warehouse data by 15 September 2026.
PDS Reforms and Digital Integration
Integration of Anna Chakra with State SCMS and VLTS has been completed for six States, with remaining States advised to complete integration by September and December 2026 and ensure verification of FPS, warehouse, and commodity master data. e-KYC coverage reached 90.64% as of 30 July 2026, with a new SOP for e-KYC-based data replication and mobile-number seeding through ePOS. New SOPs for silent ration cards and duplicate beneficiaries provide for temporary disablement followed by a three-month e-KYC revalidation window, with functionality going live in SMART-PDS from 1 October 2026.
Digital Payments and Vigilance Mechanisms
The Digital Rupee-based DBT pilot for FPS dealer margins, already inaugurated in Gujarat, Puducherry, and Chandigarh & Dadra Nagar Haveli, will be extended to entire Delhi State and two districts each in six more States: Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. A review workshop is scheduled at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on 11 September 2026. SARTHAK-PDS has seen 100% of Mother Sanction issued to States/UTs for FY 2026–27. States/UTs were advised to ensure timely constitution and functioning of Vigilance Committees and submit status reports as per Section 29 of NFSA, 2013, and operationalise Aadhaar-based authentication of foodgrain receipt at FPS level, submitting compliance reports within four weeks.