Question : COMPUTERISATION OF PDS

(a) the present status of the computerisation project of Public Distribution System (PDS) along with the expenditure incurred thereon by the States and Union Government and the procedure adopted for providing the funds;

(b) whether the Government has declared End-to-End Computerisation of PDS as a Mission Mode Project, if so, the details in this regard indicating the activities and funding pattern of the amended scheme along with the time frame fixed for completion of the said scheme and the benefits likely to accrue therefrom; and

(c) whether the Government has decided to centrally monitor the said project and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAOSAHEB PATIL DANVE)

(a): A scheme on End to end Computerisation of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Operations with a total approved cost of Rs.884.07 crore is being implemented throughout the country. Under the Scheme, financial and technical assistance is being provided to States/Union Territories (UTs). Government of India has so far released an amount of Rs.257.01 crore to the States/UTs, National Informatics Centre (NIC), Consultancy services and the States have so far reported to have incurred an expenditure of Rs.58 crore. Based on receipt of proposals from the States/UTs, the Central Government releases the funds to them in instalments in accordance with the guidelines of the Scheme.

(b): The Scheme has been declared as a Mission Mode Project (MMP) by the Government with National Informatics Centre (NIC) as the technical partner to provide technical support to the States/UTs for computerisation of the TPDS. The key activities under the scheme include digitization of beneficiary database, computerisation of Supply Chain Management, installation of Grievance Redressal Mechanism and Transparency Portal. Expenditure under the scheme is to be shared between Central and State Governments. Central Governments share for the North Eastern States is 90% while in the case of rest of the States/UTs, it is 50%. The Scheme will enable correct identification of beneficiaries; removal of bogus cards and better targeting of food subsidies, timely availability of foodgrains to intended beneficiaries at Fair Price Shops (FPS); check leakages/diversion etc.

The original timelines of the Scheme are well past. In view of the slow and uneven progress across the States/UTs, no fresh timelines have been prescribed. They are however being regularly pursued to ensure early completion of various activities under the Scheme.

(c): To monitor and supervise the implementation of the Scheme in the country, a Central Project Monitoring Unit (CPMU) has been created in the Centre. Further, as per the MMP guidelines of National eGovernance Plan (NeGP), a Joint Secretary of the Government has been designated as the Mission Leader for Scheme who periodically reviews the progress under the Scheme through review meetings/ video-conferencing with the States/UTs.