Chennai, 25 July (H.S.):
Tamil Nadu is preparing to adopt the Union government’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered grievance redressal platform, Anna Sahayata, for beneficiaries of the Public Distribution System (PDS). Before signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre, however, the State has sought a key modification by proposing the inclusion of District Revenue Officers (DROs) in the grievance redressal mechanism.
The Centre’s existing framework provides for complaints to be addressed at the taluk and State levels. Tamil Nadu has suggested the addition of a district-level tier, arguing that involving DROs would enable quicker disposal of grievances, improve accountability and reduce the number of cases that need to be escalated to the State level.
The State already operates a technology-driven grievance redressal system through the Tamil Nadu Public Distribution System (TNPDS) portal, where ration cardholders can register complaints related to PDS services. Once the MoU is finalised, complaint registration will be migrated to the national Anna Sahayata platform.
Apart from the online portal, beneficiaries currently have multiple options to register grievances. Complaints can be lodged through the State’s toll-free helpline numbers 1967 and 1800-425-5901, by sending SMS messages to Closed User Group (CUG) mobile numbers, or through designated email addresses maintained at the taluk level.
Developed by the Union Department of Food and Public Distribution, Anna Sahayata uses AI-powered conversational technology to simplify grievance registration. Consumers can submit complaints through a WhatsApp chatbot on 9868200445 or via the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) by dialling 14457. The platform currently supports 12 regional languages, making it accessible to beneficiaries across the country.
According to the Union Department’s Annual Report for 2025-26, the platform is designed not only to ensure faster and more inclusive grievance redressal but also to generate continuous feedback that helps authorities identify systemic issues and improve the overall delivery of services under the Public Distribution System.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
