The Public Distribution System (PDS) has been a major instrument for ensuring availability of essential food commodities at affordable prices to the citizens of the country. It has also become an important strategy for poverty eradication and has served as a ‘safety net’ for the poor. Public Distribution System (PDS) has undergone vast improvement in the last 22 years under the present state government’s tenure both in terms of pro-poor initiatives and larger coverage.

The department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Government of Sikkim deals with the procurement and distribution of Essential Commodities like Rice, Sugar, Wheat (Atta), S.K Oil and petroleum products.

            The National Food Security Act, 2013 was enforced in the State of Sikkim from 1^st January, 2016. The State Government has identified 16500 house hold beneficiaries under AAY (ANTYODAYA ANNA YOJNA) and 324081 individual beneficiaries under PHH (PRIORITY HOUSE HOLD) to provide the subsidized food grains to the beneficiaries.  The details are as under: Under this scheme, Rice is issued to 16,500 Families at highly subsidized rate of Rs 3.00 per kg. The beneficiaries are entitled to 35.00 (thirty five) kgs of rice per household  per month. The department has been issuing this quantity from 1^st January, 2016 and the State is allotted 577.5 MTs of rice for this scheme every month.
  Under this scheme, Rice is issued to 3,24,081 individual beneficiaries  at highly subsidized rate of Rs 3 per kg. The beneficiaries are entitled to 5 (five)  kgs of rice per person per month. The department has been issuing this quantity from 1^st January, 2016 and the State is allotted 1620.405 MTs of rice for this scheme every month.
 
The state receives 1199.584 MTs rice under this scheme from the Government of India as Tide Over Allocation and the same is being issuing to the beneficiaries under OPHH (OTHER PRIORITY HOUSEHOLD) GENERAL/SPECIAL. The beneficiaries under OPHH (GENERAL) is the genuinely left out beneficiaries  from the AAY and PHH Scheme and the beneficiaries under OPHH (SPECIAL) is the inmates of destitute home, Orphanages, Monastic Schools etc..   Under this scheme the department is issuing rice @ Rs. 11.34 per kg.  The scale of rice under this scheme is  9.381 kgs per individual per month fixed for the month of December, 2021. The Scale may be changes from  month to month due to changes in the number of individual beneficiaries.

4. Whole Wheat
The Government of India allocates 296.151 MT of whole wheat to the state. For the convenience of the public it is ground into whole meal Atta and distributed to ration card holders under OPHH GENERAL & SPECIAL categories. Under this scheme the department is issuing Wheat (Atta) @ Rs. 9.95 per kg and the scale  is 1.984 kgs per individual per month during the month of December, 2021. The Scale may be changes from month to month due to changes in the number of individual beneficiaries.

5. Sugar
The Government of India allocates 16.5 MTs of Sugar to the state for distribution to the 16500 household beneficiaries under AAY (ANTYODAYA  ANNA YOJNA) The Sugar is being issued to only AAY (ANTYODAYA  ANNA YOJNA) beneficiaries @ 1.00 kg per household per month. The rate of Sugar is Rs. 31.15 per kg.

6. Kerosene oil:
Sikkim is allotted  188 KL of kerosene oil per month under the Public Distribution System through IOCL and BPCL. This is issued through Fair Price Shops to Ration Cards holders of AAY and PHH at a scale of  1.90 litres per house hold at rates fixed and notified by the department from time to time as per the distance of the Fair Price Shops from the SKO agents’ depot. 
There are six dealers under IOC and 2 dealers under BPCL

7. Fair Price Shops:
The department has issued license to 1315 shops including Cooperative Societies to run as Fair Price Shops all over the state. The Fair Price Shops are required to deposit a sum of Rs 5000/-(five thousand) as security deposit which is refundable on closure of Fair Price Shops. A yearly license renewable fee of Rs 500/ and Rs 1000/is charged to rural and urban Fair Price Shops respectively. The District wise break up Fair Price Shops is as under up to Nov'2022, :
South District: 348
North District: 74
West District: 358
East District: 535
Total: 1315 1,31,710 nos of family ration cards have been issued to the beneficiaries under AAY/PHH, OPHH (SPECIAL,GENERAL)  and NPH categories as per the data recorded for the month of Nov, 2022.
 

The State Government has introduced computerized individual ration cards with photographs to avoid bogus cards in the state. An individual above the age of five years is entitled for a Ration Card provided he/she is able to submit the following documents:

• SSC / COI /Voter ID Card / Domicile (Any one of these documents attested by the competent authority)  • Birth Certificate (If under 18 years of age attested by the competent authority) • UID (Adhaar Card) of all family members) • Copy of Bank Pass Book (Front Page) • Copy of LPG (Gas Connection) Book (Front Page) • Old Ration Card (If any)