Lok Sabha Question No. 55 (STARRED), answered on 2018-02-06
Subject: Public Distribution System Network
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 55 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH  FEBRUARY, 2018

## PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM NETWORK

- *55. SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

## KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

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 a new central sector scheme has recently been approved for establishing Public Distribution  System  Network (PDSN) to implement national  level  portability,  central  data  repository  and  central  monitoring system  of  PDS  operations  and  the  same  is  proposed  to  be  implemented during the financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  a  pilot  scheme  on  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)  on  the pattern  of  'PAHAL'  has  also  been  launched  recently  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (c) whether the subsidy amount under this scheme is directly transferred into the bank account of the eligible beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act, 2013 in advance in the beginning of the month;
- (d) the time by which the scheme is likely to be implemented in all the States; and
- (e) the names of the States where the facility enabling PDS beneficiaries to lift their entitled foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop in the State has been started?

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.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to ( e )  OF THE  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  55*  DUE  FOR  ANSWER  ON 06.02.2018 IN THE LOK SABHA.

(a): A new central sector scheme by the name  'Integrated Management  of  Public  Distribution  System'  (IM-PDS)  has  been approved  for  implementation  during  2018-19  and  2019-20  at  total cost of Rs. 127.30 crore. The key objectives of scheme are:

- Implementation  of  nation-wide  portability in food grains
- distribution.
- Implementation  of  national  level  data  repository  for  deduplication of beneficiary data (Aadhaar numbers).
- Integration  of  National  PDS  portal  with  State  Transparency portals and creation of integrated data infrastructure systems  developed  for  ration  card  management,  allocation, supply chain, FPS automation, etc.
- Employing advanced data analytics techniques on centralized databases to bring about continuous improvements in PDS operations.
- Developing advanced web and mobile based applications to improve user-friendly PDS operations.
- Improving the quality of implementation by introducing new quality standards and benchmarks and providing handholding
- support to States/UTs.
- Facilitating  cross-learning  and  sharing  of  best  practices among States/UTs.

(b)  to  (d):  A  pilot  scheme  on  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)  on  the pattern  of  'PAHAL'  has  been  launched  in  Nagri  Block  of  Ranchi District w.e.f. 01.10.2017 under which subsidy component is credited  into  the  beneficiaries'  bank  account  and  beneficiaries purchase foodgrains from FPSs. This scheme has been launched on pilot basis in Nagri block of Ranchi district in Jharkhand State. No decision  has  been  taken  regarding  the  roll  out  of  the  scheme  in other States.

(e): States of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka (partial), Maharashtra (partial) and Telangana (partial) have enabled facility for intra-state portability.

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