Food Ministers meet to Riew PDS

States Food Ministers will meet tomorrow in New Delhi to review PDS and to consider measures to further strengthen it. The meeting will discuss ways to improve off take of food grains by the states, increasing the viability of Fair Price Shops (FPSs), doorstep delivery of food grains at FPS, improving intermediate storage capacity and direct transfer of the food subsidy to the consumers.

The meeting will be chaired by the Minister for Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System, Prof. K.V. Thomas. Besides Food Ministers from the states, senior official from various central ministries-Agriculture, Food, Finance and Planning Commission will also attend the meeting.

The Centre has prepared end-to-end Computerization of PDS. The states have been asked to draw time bound plan for its implementation and outlay of Rs. 84.07 crore has been kept for this purpose. Besides digitization of ration cards facility of SMS alert to beneficiaries are the highlights of the plan. Pilot projects have already been completed in some of the states. State wise review for further implementation will be taken up in the meeting.

Strengthening of agricultural marketing infrastructure to ensure smooth procurement of foodgrains from the farmers and timely payment to them will be push up during the meeting. States will also be asked to submit regular online update of sugar lifting position and rice milling capacity.

Prior to the Food Ministers’ meeting tomorrow, the Food Secretaries from the states are meeting today to discuss all above said issues in details.

****

NCJ/RV