Lok Sabha Question No. 167 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Smart Cards for PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: HEMANT TUKARAM GODSE, BHARAT SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 167

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 TH  MARCH, 2017 SMART CARDS FOR PDS

*167. SHRI GODSE HEMANT TUKARAM: SHRI BHARAT SINGH:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to use Smart Card Technology in the  Public Distribution System (PDS) and if so, the details and the objectives thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has consulted the States in this regard and if so, the response of the States thereto;
- (c) the other steps taken by the Government for effective implementation and bringing transparency in PDS;
- (d) whether the Government has taken a decision to set up shops under PDS in all wards of Gram Panchayats all over the country; and
- (e)  if  so,  the  number  of  Panchayats  in  the  country  where  this  scheme  has been implemented, State-wise?

A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (E)  OF  THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 167* DUE FOR ANSWER ON 14.03.2017 IN THE LOK SABHA

- (a) & (b): No, Madam.
- (c):        For  effective  implementation  and  bringing  transparency  in  Public Distribution  System (PDS), Government has initiated implementation of a Plan scheme on 'End-to-end Computerization of Targeted Public Distribution  System (TPDS)  Operations' during 12 th   Five  Year  Plan  (201217).  The  component-I  of  the  scheme  comprises  digitization  of  ration cards/beneficiary and other databases, online allocation, computerization of supply-chain  management,  setting  up  of  transparency  portal  and grievance  redressal  mechanisms.  Besides,  Central  Govt.  has  also  asked States/UTs to opt for any of  the two models of Direct Benefit Transfer  Cash transfer of food subsidy into the bank account of beneficiaries or fair price  shop  (FPS)  automation,  which  involves  installation  of  Point  of  Sale (PoS)  device  at  FPS,  for  authentication  of  beneficiaries  and  electronic capturing  of  transactions.  The  cash  transfer  of  food  subsidy  is  being implemented  in  3  UTs  namely  Chandigarh,  Puducherry  w.e.f.  01-09-2015 and  partially  in  Dadra  &  Nagar  Haveli  w.e.f.  01-03-2016.  For  remaining areas, States/UTs have been asked to expedite the pace of Fair Price Shop (FPS) automation. So far, more than 1.78 lakhs FPSs are automated across the  country.  A  statement  showing  the  progress  made  under  'End-to-end Computerisation of TPDS Operation' is at Annexure.
- (d)  &  (e):  Under  NFSA  75%  of  the  rural  population  and  50%  of  urban population  totalling  67%  of  the  total  population  of  country  i.e.  81  crores beneficiaries  are  covered.  All  the  gram  panchayats  of  the  country  are covered  under  the  NFSA  and  the  scheme.  A  total  of  5.26  lakh  FPSs  are operational  across  the  country.  As  per  clause  9  of  TPDS  (Control  order), 2015,  the  license  to  FPS  shall  be  issued  by  State  Government  and preference shall be accorded to public institutions or public bodies such as panchayats,  self  help  groups,  cooperative  societies  in  licensing  of  fair price  shops  and  management  of  fair  price  shops  by  women  or  their collectives. Besides, the State Government shall ensure that the number of ration card holders attached to a fair price shops are reasonable, the fair price shop is so located that the consumer or ration card holder does not have  to  face  difficulties  to  reach  the  fair  price  shop  and  that  proper coverage is ensured in hilly, desert, tribal and such other areas difficult to access.

## ANNEXURE

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF STARRED QUESTION NO 167 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 TH  MARCH, 2017 IN LOK SABHA.

## Statement on End-to-End Computerization of TPDS Operations

| Sl.   | States/UTs           | Digitization of Ration Cards   | Aadhaar Seeding in RCs   | Online Allocation of Foodgrains   | Automation of Supply-chain Management   | Transparency Portal   | Online Grievance Redressal   | Toll Free Helpline Numbers   | Operational ePoS   |
|-------|----------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh       | 100%                           | 100%                     | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 29,082             |
| 2     | Andaman & Nicobar    | 100%                           | 97%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 290                |
| 3     | Arunachal Pradesh    | 100%                           | 44.5%                    | -                                 | -                                       | Yes                   | -                            | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 4     | Assam                | 100%                           | 0%                       | Implemented                       | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 5     | Bihar                | 100%                           | 39%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 59                 |
| 6     | Chandigarh           | 100%                           | 100%                     | NA                                | NA                                      | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | DBT (Cash)         |
| 7     | Chhattisgarh         | 100%                           | 97%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 12,171             |
| 8     | Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 100%                           | 94%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 62                 |
| 9     | Daman & Diu          | 100%                           | 100%                     | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 51                 |
| 10    | Delhi                | 100%                           | 100%                     | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 28                 |
| 11    | Goa                  | 100%                           | 88%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 42                 |
| 12    | Gujarat              | 100%                           | 91%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 17,077             |
| 13    | Haryana              | 100%                           | 91%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 9,427              |
| 14    | Himachal Pradesh     | 100%                           | 96%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 15    | Jammu and Kashmir    | 100%                           | 62%                      | Up to TSOs                        | -                                       | Yes                   | -                            | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 16    | Jharkhand            | 100%                           | 96%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 20,361             |
| 17    | Karnataka            | 100%                           | 98%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 3,877              |
| 18    | Kerala               | 100%                           | 98%                      | Implemented                       | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 19    | Lakshadweep          | 100%                           | 97%                      | -                                 | NA                                      | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 20    | Madhya Pradesh       | 100%                           | 87%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 22,409             |
| 21    | Maharashtra          | 100%                           | 87%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 195                |
| 22    | Manipur              | 100%                           | 1.28%                    | Partial                           | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 23    | Meghalaya            | 100%                           | 0%                       | -                                 | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 24    | Mizoram              | 100%                           | 11.86%                   | -                                 | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 25    | Nagaland             | 100%                           | 6.50%                    | -                                 | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 26    | Odisha               | 100%                           | 86%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 226                |
| 27    | Puducherry           | 100%                           | 100%                     | NA                                | NA                                      | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | DBT (Cash)         |
| 28    | Punjab               | 100%                           | 97%                      | Implemented                       | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
| 29    | Rajasthan            | 100%                           | 95%                      | Implemented                       | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 25,721             |
| 30    | Sikkim               | 100%                           | 72%                      | Implemented                       | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 20                 |
| 31    | Tamil Nadu           | 100%                           | 99%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 34,774             |
| 32    | Telangana            | 100%                           | 100%                     | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 1,622              |
| 33    | Tripura              | 100%                           | 93%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 25                 |
| 34    | Uttar Pradesh        | 100%                           | 74%                      | Implemented                       | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 750                |
| 35    | Uttarakhand          | 100%                           | 90%                      | Implemented                       | -                                       | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 8                  |
| 36    | West Bengal          | 100%                           | 61%                      | Implemented                       | Implemented                             | Yes                   | Yes                          | Yes                          | 0                  |
|       |                      | 100%                           | 75.45%                   | 29                                | 20                                      | 36                    | 34                           | 36                           | 1,78,277           |

(as on 07.03.2017)