New Delhi: Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Raosaheb Danve said that the scheme for End to End Computerization of Public Distribution System (PDS) operations has been implemented in 31 states/union territories.
Under PDS reforms, digitization of ration cards and distribution of highly subsidised foodgrains, namely- Rice, Wheat and Coarse-grains, to targeted beneficiaries under NFSA through electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices, after biometric/Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries are key objectives to improve the efficiency and transparency in the distribution process.
He said that there are other advantages of the scheme as well such as redressal of online complaints, elimination of fake ration cards.
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The database of ration card beneficiaries has been completely digitalized.
Online allocation has been implemented in the States / Union Territories such as Chandigarh and Puducherry, which adopt State / Union Territory DBT cash transfer scheme and the supply chain has been computerized in 31 states/union territories.
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In addition to the above reforms, automation of fair price shops is also being installed in all states/union territories in a transparent electronic form and unsurpassed manner, electronic point of sale equipment in fair price shops for distribution of food grains.
He said that the real beneficiaries can be identified through biometric / Aadhaar authentication from this electronic device.
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He said that at present, electronic point of sale (E-POS) facility has been made available for biometric identification of more than 92% of beneficiaries of fair price shops across the country. He added that as of 1 February 2021, the total food storage in the central pool is 561.93 lakh tonnes, of which 318.31 LT is wheat and 243.62 LT is rice.
