Prior to the year 1980, the procurement and distribution of essential commodities under the Public Distribution System in the state of Himachal Pradesh was being handled by the State Co-operative Federation, District Co-operative Federations and Tehsil Co-operative Unions. The State Government felt that these institutions, individually, were not in a position to procure all the essential commodities from the different Agencies of the Government of India, like the Food Corporation of India, State Trading Corporation, the National Textile Corporation, etc. Therefore, HP State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. was formed on 06-09-1980