Lok Sabha Question No. 43 (STARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Purchase of Hardware under Smart PDS Scheme
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Kalaben Mohanbhai Delkar

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS! FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.43

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 6TH DECEMBER, 2023

## PURCHASE OF HARDWARE UNDER SMART PDS SCHEME

## t'''43.  SHRIMATI DELKAR KALABEN MOHANBHAI:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD AND  PUBLIC DISTRiBUTiON aqqtfFT RPTR, @rn3t{TT#Tf+qfRTW ++  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government  proposes  to replace the outdated computers/systems in the operational supply chain systems in States/UTs to adopt  Integrated  Supply Chain System for assured supply of ration  under the  One Nation  One Ration Card scheme (ONORC);
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the amount of funds in percentage set aside for purchase of hardware  under  the  Smart  PDS scheme;
- (d) whether any shortcomings are  being observed in  the  already existing schemes meant for effecting  reforms in PDS; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER INISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY, CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION AND TEXTILES (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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. 43  DUE FOR ANSWER ON 06.12n2023  IN THE LOK SABHAa

(a), (b) & (c): As a result  of  the  end'to-end  computerisation of  Public Distribution System (PDS) operations in all States/UTs there has been significant progress achieved at the national level in  terms of  100% digitization of ration cards, online allocation modules for  generation of monthly foodgrain allocation orders up  to the Fair Price Shops (FPS), installation of electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices, computerisation of  supply chain  management, online grievance redressal systems and initiation of transparency portals. Backed by the sustained technological progress, the Department had 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 around 124 Crore portability transactions have been recorded under the ONORC plan, which includes both inter-State and intra-State transactions  ensuring the food security  of around 80 Crore

National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA) beneficiaries  in the country.

To give further  impetus to the technology-driven PDS reforms and bring  in  more  homogeneity  a  need  was  felt to  operationalise a  new scheme to ensure continuous  support to all  States/UT for strengthening technology components (server infrastructure,  software)  and technical capacities for sustaining & institutionalising the One Nation One Ration

Card (ONORC) plan,

This Department is  implementing the  new Centrally Sponsored

Scheme (CSS) 'Scheme for Modernization and  Reforms through Technology in Public  Distribution  System  (SMART-PDS)' for the development/implementation of advanced integrated supply chain software  in States/UTs. Under this  scheme, provisions  have been made to replace existing servers/data centres by leveraging cloud infrastructu rea

The scheme also has provision to continue the support of various application modules, portals,  dashboards, integration with other ministries/departments,  eto.  developed under  earlier end-to-end Computerization  and  Integrated Management  of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) schemes.  This  also  includes  the  continuation of  Data Centre Services procured under IMPDS covering Central System and PDS applications  of State/UTs.

The scheme envisages not only introducing the major technological reforms but  also strengthening  the technology-driven infrastructure  in the  Public Distribution  System (PDS) for  transformative  change in the entire PDS ecosystem. The scheme is to be implemented in collaboration with  all States/UTs, with  a total  cost of Rs. 349.9 Crore for  a period of 3 years from 2023-24 to 2025-26.

The  SMART-PDS offers a  software suite along with advanced features and functionalities  for States / UTs to leverage future-ready IT Tools for  enabling the  modernization of  Supply Chain Management at their  levels

SMART-PDS intends to continue to sustain the systematic information technology-led reforms brought in the functioning  of Public Distribution System (PDS) operations by overcoming the  State level of technological limitations  with  respect to  Server, Software & Technical Manpower, leveraging cloud  infrastructure and  institutionalizing an integrated Central  System covering all  PDS related  operations across ithe country.

(d) & (e): Major components of earlier schemes have been implemented across  all  States/UTs  but  going  forward,  in  order  to  have  homogeneity and  more  efficient systems,  a  uniform  application shall  be  developed under SMART-PDS to integrate the entire PDS ecosystem for seamless operability and data flowa

Target areas for improvement include:

- 0 Implementation of  robust IT  systems for  improving the
- efficiency of PDS operations
- 0 Reducing  infrastructure &  maintenance  costs  by  developing uniform PDS applications and deployment in  a  single centralized IT system .
- 0
- Ensuring high data consistency amongst various systems

By creating ICT-enabled system under SMART-PDS, it  has been planned to  improve efficiency of  public delivery, enhance reach to beneficiaries and timely deliver the public services in a more transparent manner. These approaches attempt  to  improve delivery through (a) improving the quality of  inforrnation, (b) reducing complexity or (c) making access more convenient and simpler.

++++