Lok Sabha Question No. 1451 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-04
Subject: Digitalization of PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Mani A

:

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 145 1 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH DECEMBER, 2024

## DIGITALIZATION  OF PDS

## 1451. SHRI MANI A:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION vmtHT wr&  um  381 HT+qf# fiawr =Ht be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of progress of  digitalization  efforts under the Public Distribution  System across States including Dharmapuri district  of Tamil Nadu;

- (b) the details and the number of Fair Price Shops (FPS) that have been equipped with digital  infrastructure  for  automated operations;

- (c) the main objectives of  digitalizing the PDS and whether the digitalization has impacted the efficiency  and transparency of the distribution  process;

- (d) if  so, whether  there have been any measurable reduction  in pilferage  and leakages of PDS resources since the introduction of digital  systems;

- (e) the  current status of  Aadhaar-based authentication and e-Point of  Sale (ePOS) machines at FPSs for beneficiary verification;

- (f) the challenges that have been encountered in  implementing  digital  solutions  under the PDS particularly in remote or rural areas; and

- (g) whether the Government has taken steps to improve  internet connectivity  in rural regions to support uninterrupted  digital  PDS operations and if  so, the details thereon

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

(a)  &  (b): Under  PDS reforms, ration cards/beneficiaries database have been completely digitized in all  States/Ul-s. So far more than 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.

Presently, 100% ration  cards are seeded with  Aadhaar number in the  State of Tamil  Nadu. All  34,805 Fair  Price Shops (FPSs) in the Tamil  Nadu  have been automated by installing ePoS devices.

(c) &  (d): The main objectives of digitalizing the PDS is to improve the efficiency and transparency of  the  distribution  process and to  address various  challenges such as leakages and diversion of  foodgrains. As an outcome of  the use of technology in TPDS operations since 2013, i.e., digitization  of  ration  cards/beneficiary  databases, Aadhaar seeding, de-duplication process, identification  of  duplicates, ineligible  records, deaths, permanent migration  of  beneficiaries,  etc. all  States/UTs have been able to  weed-out approx. 5.87 crore ration cards between 2013 to  2024 (till  date) in  order to  achieve rightful targeting.

(e): 5.41 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) have been automated by installing ePoS devices for  the  distribution  of  foodgrains with  biometric/Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries.

(f) & (g): To ensure the availability of internet/connectivity  for ePoS devices at FPSs in  remote locations  /  shadow/no network  areas in  some States, the  Department of Telecommunications  has been requested to resolve the internet/connectivity related issues. The beneficiaries are empowered to  lift  their entitled foodgrains from  any FPS having operational ePoS device without  facing  any interrret/connectivity related challenges. The ePoS devices have a fbnctionality to  work  in  offline  mode with  limited/  no  internet connectivity.  The  ePOS devices have to come periodically  to network  area to  sync the offline ePOS data with PDS online system.

88888