Question : MODERNISATION OF PDS

(a) whether the Government has received complaints regarding corruption/diversion under the Public Distribution System (PDS) leading to poor delivery of services;

(b) if so, whether the Government has undertaken modernisation and computerisation of PDS to make its functioning more efficient and transparent;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the progress made therein;

(d) whether the Government proposes to integrate the data of Unique Identification Card project with PDS; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)

(a) to (e): Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State/Union Territory (UT) Governments. Central Government is responsible for procurement, allocation and transportation of foodgrains upto the designated depots of the Food Corporation of India. The operational responsibilities for allocation and distribution of foodgrains within the States/UTs, identification of eligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, issuance of ration cards to them and supervision over and monitoring of functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) rest with the State/UT Government concerned.   There have been reports about irregularities in implementation of TPDS in certain regions/States in the country. As and when complaints are received by the Central Government from individuals and organizations as well as through press reports, they have been sent to State/UT Governments concerned for inquiry and appropriate action.

Strengthening and streamlining the TPDS is a continuous process. Pilot schemes on Computerisation of TPDS and Smart Card based delivery of essential commodities had been taken up. Government of India has requested all States/UTs to take up end-to-end computerization of TPDS in a time-bound manner to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the TPDS. 

Under the guidelines issued by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, States/UTs are encouraged to include PDS related fields in the data collection exercise being undertaken by various UIDAI appointed Registrars as part of the UID (Aadhaar) enrolment. As per these guidelines, as far as possible, State/UT Governments should also link the process of electronic authentication of delivery and payments at the FPS level with Aadhaar registration. This would help in streamlining the process of biometric collection as well as authentication of beneficiary at the time of commodity issuance at FPS.