For Prelims: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, Priority Households (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Public Distribution System (PDS), E-Reverse Auction, Scheme Names, Nodal Directorate, Monthly Entitlement, Total Beneficiary Families
For Mains: Nutritional security, PDS reforms, state-specific food schemes, e-procurement transparency
Source:
Hindustan
5 facts for one-day exams
SSC, railway, police and teaching exams ask direct questions like these.
- Jharkhand will distribute 1 kg chana dal per month to 66.92 lakh families.
- The dal is distributed under NFSA and Jharkhand State Food Security Scheme (JSFSS).
- The tender is for FY 2026-27 with an earnest money deposit of ₹12.82 crore.
- NFSA covers 61.05 lakh families (PHH: 51.88 lakh, AAY: 9.17 lakh).
- JSFSS covers 5.87 lakh Green card families.
Why in the news?
Jharkhand's Food and Consumer Affairs Directorate has invited online tenders for the supply of chana dal under the Public Distribution System (PDS) for FY 2026-27. The dal will be distributed monthly at 1 kg per ration card to about 66.92 lakh eligible families under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the Jharkhand State Food Security Scheme (JSFSS).
Summary
- Jharkhand will distribute 1 kg of chana dal per month to 66.92 lakh families under NFSA (PHH and AAY) and JSFSS (Green card) through PDS.
- Suppliers will be selected via e-tender and e-reverse auction; an earnest money deposit of ₹12.82 crore is required.
- The scheme covers 61.05 lakh NFSA families (PHH: 51.88 lakh, AAY: 9.17 lakh) and 5.87 lakh Green card families under JSFSS.
Highlights
PDS Expansion in Jharkhand
Jharkhand is procuring chana dal for 66.92 lakh families under NFSA and its own state food security scheme, JSFSS.
E-Procurement for Transparency
Suppliers will be selected through e-tender and e-reverse auction with a ₹12.82 crore earnest money deposit on the state e-procurement portal.
Three Categories of Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries include PHH (51.88 lakh families), AAY (9.17 lakh families) under NFSA, and Green card (5.87 lakh families) under JSFSS.
Background
The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, provides subsidized food grains to eligible households. Jharkhand supplements it with its own Jharkhand State Food Security Scheme (JSFSS) to cover additional families not included under NFSA. The distribution of chana dal is an additional nutritional supplement beyond the standard grain quota.
Key Analysis and Impact
The move to distribute chana dal addresses protein deficiency in the state's diet, particularly among poorer households. By using e-tender and e-reverse auction, the government aims to ensure competitive pricing and transparency. The ₹12.82 crore earnest money deposit ensures only serious bidders participate. The inclusion of both NFSA and JSFSS beneficiaries shows a comprehensive approach to food security.
Way Forward
Successful implementation depends on timely supply chain management and addressing past arrears in distribution. District administrations have been instructed to adjust old pending dues while distributing the dal. This model could be replicated by other states to enhance nutritional security under PDS.
Jharkhand connection
Background GK
Textbook concepts you need to understand this news
- National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
- A central Act that provides subsidized food grains (wheat, rice, coarse grains) to eligible households, covering up to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population.
- Priority Households (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
- PHH are families identified as poor under the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC). AAY is the poorest of the poor category under NFSA, receiving 35 kg of food grains per family per month.
- Public Distribution System (PDS)
- A government-run system to distribute subsidized food and non-food items to the poor through a network of fair price shops (ration shops).
- E-Reverse Auction
- An online procurement method where suppliers bid in descending order of price, with the lowest bid winning. It ensures transparency and cost efficiency.
Facts to remember
Tap a card to see the answer. Try to recall it first.
How exams will ask this
- Data: 66.92 lakh families, 1 kg chana dal per month, ₹12.82 crore earnest money deposit.
- Nodal Body: Food and Consumer Affairs Directorate, Government of Jharkhand.
- Legal Point: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
Don't make this mistake!
Examiners may confuse NFSA (central law) with JSFSS (state scheme), or swap the monthly entitlement (1 kg dal vs. standard 5 kg grain). They may also ask who gets dal: only NFSA or both NFSA and JSFSS beneficiaries.
Write these in mains answers
- Nutritional security, PDS reforms, state-specific food schemes, e-procurement transparency
Stuck? Get it in one tap
The Jharkhand government is buying chana dal to give to poor families through ration shops. Each family will get 1 kg of dal every month for free or at a very low price. The dal will go to about 66.92 lakh families who have ration cards under the central NFSA law or the state's own food security scheme.
- Jharkhand will distribute 1 kg chana dal per month to 66.92 lakh families.
- The dal is distributed under NFSA and Jharkhand State Food Security Scheme (JSFSS).
- The tender is for FY 2026-27 with an earnest money deposit of ₹12.82 crore.
- NFSA covers 61.05 lakh families (PHH: 51.88 lakh, AAY: 9.17 lakh).
- JSFSS covers 5.87 lakh Green card families.
- Governance: Public Distribution System and Food Security
- State_Governance: Jharkhand Schemes and Policies
Related concepts: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, Priority Households (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Public Distribution System (PDS), E-Reverse Auction
Practice questions
Pick an answer, then read the explanation.
- Q1Easy
Which directorate of the Government of Jharkhand is responsible for the procurement and distribution of chana dal under the Public Distribution System?
Explanation: The Food and Consumer Affairs Directorate invited the tender for chana dal supply. Agriculture, Rural Development, and Social Welfare are separate departments not involved in PDS procurement.
- Q2Hard
Consider the following statements regarding the chana dal distribution in Jharkhand:
- 1.The dal will be distributed to all families holding ration cards under both NFSA and JSFSS.
- 2.The monthly entitlement is 1 kg of chana dal per family.
- 3.Suppliers are selected through e-tender only, without any reverse auction.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct as the dal is for NFSA and JSFSS beneficiaries. Statement 2 is correct: the provision is 1 kg per ration card per month. Statement 3 is incorrect because the selection process includes both e-tender and e-reverse auction.
- Q3Medium
How many families are covered under the Priority Household (PHH) category under NFSA in Jharkhand as per the tender?
Explanation: PHH cardholder families are 51,88,089 (51.88 lakh). 61.05 lakh is the total NFSA families, 9.17 lakh is AAY families, and 5.87 lakh is Green card families under JSFSS.
- Q4Medium
What is the primary objective of distributing chana dal through the Public Distribution System in Jharkhand?
Explanation: Chana dal is a protein source, and distributing it under PDS addresses protein deficiency among the poor. It does not reduce fiscal burden, nor is it primarily for promotion of pulses. It supplements, not replaces, grain distribution.
Frequently asked questions
1. How many families in Jharkhand will get chana dal under the new tender?
About 66.92 lakh families across NFSA and JSFSS categories will receive 1 kg of chana dal per month.
2. What is the monthly entitlement of chana dal per family?
Each eligible family receives 1 kg of chana dal per month per ration card.
3. Which two schemes cover the chana dal distribution in Jharkhand?
The distribution is under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the Jharkhand State Food Security Scheme (JSFSS).
4. What is the earnest money deposit required for the chana dal tender?
Bidders must deposit ₹12.82 crore as earnest money through the Jharkhand e-Procurement Portal.
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- Original8 November 2026 · Read story
