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PDS digitisation moving at snail’s pace:
Context:
- The progress of the digitization of Public Distribution System
What is the project all about?
- It was launched in 2012 at a cost of 884 crore to complete the automation of Public Distribution System – All fair price or ration shop
- To enable online monitoring of stock positions.
- To empower the government to track the movement of food grains – godowns to fair price shops
- It aimed to ensure that food grains reach the right beneficiaries
- To send SMS alert to beneficiaries
What is the progress made so far?
- The project was given a mission mode by the NDA government (2014)
- Out of 5.26 lakh ration shops, only 15% have been digitized in a 3 year period (2014 -17)
- Less than 10,00 fair price shops had been digitized during the period of 2 years (2012 -14)
- 11 states have not taken the elementary steps of digitizing fair price shops
- The numbers are most stark in the North East region
- Few states in North East region have cited connectivity issues for their inability to start the process
What is the government’s achievement?
- Rs. 2.48 crore bogus cards have been deleted
- It has saved a subsidy of Rs.15, 000 crore per annum
