Lok Sabha Question No. 262 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Computerisation of PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar, Shri C N Annadurai, Shri Navaskani K, Shri Selvam G, Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTR[BUTTON

## GOVERNNiF.Mr  OF INDIA DEPARTNEENr OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.262 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24th JULY, 2024

## COMPUTERISATION OF PDS

262 DR. D RAVI KUMAR

SHRI C N ANNADURAI

SHRI NAVASKANI K

SHRI SELVAM G

DR. THIRUMAAVAL AV AN THOLKAPPIYAN

Will  the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION WftmT qm& um  Bit VT&qf+q fi8wr +it  be pleased to state

- (a) the number of Public  Distribution System (PDS)  shops which  have been computerised across the country including  Tamil  Nadu;
- (b) whether any time  limit  has been fixed  for completion  of  computerisation of  PDS across the country and if so, the details thereof along with  challenges faced by the Government;
- (c) the current status of linking  of Ration Card with  Aadhaar Card across the country and the response of all the States/UTs thereto;
- (d) whether the Government has received any proposal  from  some of  the States to  include more products under PDS and if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government to check malpractices in PDS?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

(a) & (b): As part of  the technology driven Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms, ration  cards/beneficiaries  database have  been  completely  digitized in all States/UTs, transparency portal  and  online  grievance redressal facility/Toll-free  number have been implemented in  all  States/UTs, online  allocation  has been implemented in  all  States/UTs (except UTs  of  Chandigarh and Puducherry which  have adopted DBT  Cash Transfer scheme) and supply chain has been computerized in  31 States/UTs.  So far, nearly 5.41 Lakh  out of total 5.43 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country (including the State of Tamil Nadu have been automated  by  installing ePoS devices  for  the  distribution of  foodgrains in  a transparent manner (electronically)  through biometric/  Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries

The Department initially  implemented One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan in August 2019 with  4 states and by the end of June 2022 ONORC was operational across all 36 States/UTs of the country. Since its inception more than 144 Crore portability transactions have been recorded under the ONORC  plan, which  includes both inter-State and intra-State transactions ensuring the food security of more than 80 Crore beneficiaries  in the country

(c) & (d): Presently, 99.8% ration cards are seeded with Aadhaar number at national level However,  this  Department has extended the  timeline  given  to  the  States/UTs, under the Notification dated 08/02/2017  (as amended from  time  to time)  issued in exercise of  Section-7 of the Aadhaar Act  2016, for  completing  the Aadhaar seeding of ration cards up to 30/09/2024 Statement showing State/UT wise total number Aadhaar seeded Ration Cards and Fair Price Shops (FPSs) Operational with  ePoS devices is at Annexure.

Further, as per Clause 9 of Targeted Public Distribution  System (TPDS) Control Order, 2015, State Governments shall allow sale of commodities other than the foodgrains distributed under the TPDS at the FPS to  improve the viability  of  the FPS operations. Additionally, States/UTs have been advised that FPS owners may be encouraged to  sell non-PDS items through PDS outlets for earning extra income.

3/-

(e): For ensuring transparency and proper functioning  of the TPDS and accountability  of the functionaries in  such system, every State Government sets up  Vigilance  Committees as specified in the Public Distribution  System (Control)  Order, 2001, made under the Essential Commodities Act,  1955, as amended from time  to time, at the State, District,  Block  and Fair Price Shop levels consisting of  such persons, as may be prescribed by the  State Government giving  due representation to the local  authorities, the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, women and destitute persons or  persons with  disability. The  Vigilance  Committees shall perform the following  functions, namely:-

- (1) regularly supervise the implementation of all schemes under this Act;
2. (ii) inform the District Grievance Redressal Officer, in writing, of  any violation of the provisions of this Act; and
- (111) inform  the District  Grievance Redressal Officer,  in writing,  of  any malpractice  or misappropriation of funds found by it

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) & (d) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.262 FOR ANSWER ON 24.07.2024 IN THE LOK SABHA

## Statement showing State/UT wise total (FPSs) Operational with ePoS devices number Aadhaar seeded Ration  Cards and Fair  Price Shops

|   S. N. | State/UT          | Total Ration Card in Central System   | Total Ration Cards Seeded with Aadhaar   | %Seeding of Ration Cards   | Total Fair Price Shops   | Operational with epOS devices   | O/o FPS Automation   |
|---------|-------------------|---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------|
|       1 | A&N Islands       | 17,258                                | 17,257                                   | 100%                       | 416                      | 416                             | 100%                 |
|       2 | Andhra Pradesh    | 90,25 ,839                            | 90,25,839                                | 100%                       | 29,791                   | 29,791                          | 100%                 |
|       3 | ArunachaI Pradesh | 1 ,86,417                             | 1 ,50,284                                | 81%                        | 1,680                    | 1,680                           | 100%                 |
|       4 | Assam             | 66,05 ,913                            | 65,84, 103                               | -100%                      | 34,300                   | 34,286                          | 100%                 |
|       5 | Bihar             | 1,95,89,550                           | 1 ,95 , 10,530                           | -100%                      | 50,95 1                  | 50,95 1                         | 100%                 |
|       6 | Chandigarh        | 84,719                                | 84,402                                   | -100%                      | NA                       | NA                              | NA                   |
|       7 | Chhattisgarh      | 53,77,624                             | 53,74,976                                | 100%                       | 13,675                   | 13,675                          | 100%                 |
|       8 | DNH andD&D        | 58,672                                | 58,672                                   | 100%                       | 114                      | 114                             | 100%                 |
|       9 | Delhi             | 17,58,451                             | 17,58,451                                | 100%                       | 1,993                    | 1_993                           | 100%                 |
|      10 | Goa               | 1 ,29,504                             | 1 ,29,468                                | 100%                       | 452                      | 452                             | 100%                 |
|      11 | Gujarat           | 78,55 ,092                            | 78,55,092                                | -100%                      | 16,949                   | 16, 949                         | 100%                 |
|      12 | Har),ana          | 48,49, 116                            | 48,49, 116                               | 100%                       | 9,434                    | 9,434                           | 100%                 |
|      13 | Himachal Pradesh  | 7,65 ,757                             | 7,65,757                                 | 100%                       | 5,219                    | 5, 155                          | -99%                 |
|      14 | J&K               | 16,61 ,025                            | 16,61 ,011                               | 100%                       | 6,737                    | 6,737                           | mo                   |
|      15 | Jharkhand         | 61,08,183                             | 60,54,863                                | 99%                        | 25,228                   | 25,228                          | 100%                 |
|      16 | Karnataka         | 1,14, 16,146                          | 1,14,16, 146                             | 100%                       | 20,403                   | 20,325                          | - 100%               |
|      17 | Kerala            | 41 ,97 ,405                           | 41 ,95,562                               | 100%                       | 13,913                   | 13,905                          | - 1 00%              |
|      18 | Ladakh            | 29,783                                | 29,566                                   | 99%                        | 404                      | 404                             | 100%                 |
|      19 | Lakshadweep       | 5,383                                 | 5,379                                    | -100%                      | 39                       | 39                              | 100%                 |
|      20 | Madhya Pradesh    | 1,26,31 ,430                          | 1 ,26,27,203                             | 100%                       | 27,377                   | 27,127                          | 99%                  |

| 21               | Maharashtra      | 1,63,75,075   | 1 ,63,74,643   | 10096   | 52,642   | 52,642    | 100%     |
|------------------|------------------|---------------|----------------|---------|----------|-----------|----------|
| 22               | Manipur          | 5,71 ,509     | 5,69,083       | -100%   | 2,339    | 2,339     | 100%     |
| 23               | Meghalaya        | 4, 16,623     | 2,99,561       | -72%    | 4,735    | 4,727     | - 100%   |
| 24               | Mizoram          | 1 ,76,354     | 1 ,75,923      | -100%   | 1,258    | 1,258     | 100%     |
| 25               | Nagaland         | 3,38,430      | 3,30,148       | -98%    | 1,783    | 1,774     | 99%      |
| 26               | Odisha           | 93,50,436     | 92,93,737      | 99%     | 12,044   | 12,044    | - 1000/, |
| 27               | Puducherry       | 2,06,580      | 2,06,295       | -100%   | NA       | NA        | NA       |
| 28               | Punjab           | 40, 15,195    | 40, 14,800     | 100%    | 18,150   | 18,150    | 100%     |
| 29               | Rajasthan        | 1 ,07,34,989  | 1 ,07,22,752   | -100%   | 27,062   | 25,579    | -95 %    |
| 30               | Sikkim           | 97,006        | 96,961         | 100%    | 1,312    | 1,312     | 100%     |
| 31               | Tamil Nadu       | 1 ,14,36,829  | 1,14,36,778    | 100%    | 34,805   | 34,805    | 100%     |
| 32               | Telangana        | 54,44,945     | 54,44,945      | 100%    | 17,246   | 17,246    | 100%     |
| 33               | Tripura          | 6,06,27 1     | 6,05,884       | -100%   | 2,057    | 2,057     | 100%     |
| 34               | Uttarakhand      | 13,96,299     | 13,96,231      | 100%    | 9,059    | 9,059     | 100%     |
| 35               | Uttar Pradesh    | 3,61 ,25,293  | 3,61 ,21 ,354  | 100%    | 79,216   | 79,216    | 100%     |
| e                |                  | 1,37, 12,277  | 1 ,37 ,08,137  | 100%    | 20,476   | 20,476    | 100%     |
| National Summalv | National Summalv | 20,33,57,378  | 20,29,27,837   | 99.8%   | 5,43,259 | 5,41 ,345 | 99.6%    |

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