The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought responses from the Union of India and the State of Punjab on a petition filed by the NFSA Depot Holders Welfare Association seeking directions to ensure that only prescribed-quality wheat is supplied for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Taking up the matter, Justice Nidhi Gupta issued a notice of motion on the petition before fixing the case for further hearing on November 25.
Among other things, the petitioners, through counsel Vijay K. Jindal and Vipul Jindal, were seeking directions to the respondents to distribute only good quality wheat having moisture contents not exceeding 12 per cent”.
The petitioner further prayed that the authorities be directed “to discount the excess quantity at full value on account of moisture in excess quantity at full value on account of moisture in excess of 12-14 per cent; and further not to release the wheat stock to fair price shops for distribution containing moisture in excess of 14 per cent”.
According to the petitioner, the dispute centres on the permissible moisture content in wheat supplied under the NFSA.
The association referred to the Government of India’s procurement parameters and subsequent policy instructions to contend that wheat with moisture content beyond the prescribed limit ought not to be distributed through the public distribution system.
The petitioner traced the regulatory framework to theNFSA, 2013, and the Punjab Targeted Public Distribution System (Licensing and Control) Order, 2016. It stated that procurement parameters notified by the Centre prescribed that the moisture content of wheat “should not be beyond 12 per cent,” while policy instructions issued on May 30, 2022, required moisture contents to be noted “on real time basis at the time of receipt, during storage and at the time of issue of Wheat” by technical personnel engaged in the storage and preservation of foodgrains.
The association further relied upon the Government of India’s policy instructions dated February 17, which, according to the petition, provide that “Moisture in excess of 12 per cent and upto 14 per cent will be discounted at full value. Stocks containing moisture in excess of 14 per cent are to be rejected.”
The petition also refers to a State Government memorandum dated February 18 laying down guidelines and instructions for distribution of wheat, besides a Punjab Government foodgrain policy dated March 20, 2025, directing procurement of wheat of good quality as per specifications issued by the Government of India.
Further, the association stated that it served a legal notice on May 10 calling upon the authorities to ensure that the moisture content of wheat being delivered to fair price shop owners “should not exceed 12 per cent” and that the wheat supplied should conform to fair average quality specifications.
The petition further pointed out that the Food Commission visited fair price shops at Dhuri and Sherpur in Sangrur district on June 26, where “the technical aspects of the Wheat were checked,” following which “the officials were instructed to take necessary corrective action.”