Lok Sabha Question No. 525 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: PDS Reforms
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 525

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 23RD JULY, 2025

## PDS REFORMS

## 525.  SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it  is  true that under Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms, all  ration cards database have been digitized  and more than 90%  Fair  Price Shops (FPSs) have been automated with e-Point of Sale devices;

- (b) whether there is any proposal to digitize storage capacity, storage of foodgrains,  storage gap assessment of  Food Corporation of  India, private warehouses and also warehouses under State agencIes;

- (c) if  so, the details thereof;

- (d) whether the Government has observed that due to manual weighInent of  foodgrains, many FPSs in the country are resorting to cheat the beneficiaries;

- (e) if  so, whether the Government is considering to make it  mandatory for  electronic weighing scales or machines and integrating them with  ePoS devices to prevent cheating; and

- (f) if  so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIM ATI  NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): As part of the technology driven Targeted Public Distribution  System (TPDS) refbrms, with the aim  to enhance transparency  and  improve efficiency in the TPDS,  ration cards/beneficiaries  database have been completely digitized  (100%) in all  States,/T\_iTs. Further, for better tracking of foodgrains distribution, nearly 5.41 Lakh (99.6%) out of total 5.43 I\_.akh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by installing  ePoS devices fdr the distribution of foodgrains in a transparent manner (electronically) through biometric/ Aadhaar authentication  of beneficiaries.
- (b) &  (c): Food Corporation of India (FCI)  is using Depot Online System (DOS) for capturing real time  storage capacity  and stock positi'ill.

The SMPJtT Warehouse pilot,  implemented by WFP in collaboration with  DFPD, uses loT  technology in  government warehouses to  minimize  foodgrain  losses. Monitoring parameters include temperature, humidity, gas levels, airflow,  and events such as unauthorized access, rodent, and insect activity.  The pilot  project is underway in  FCI godowns in phased mariner.

Further, Depot Darpan portal  hQS a]so been introduced as another step towards Modernization and Digitalization of  storage facilities in  FCI. The Portal facilitates selfassessment, rating, and grading of FCI depots (ov.'ned and hired).

(d) to (f): Section 12 (b) of the National  Food Security Act  (NFS A) intra-alia provides for 'application of information and  communication technology tools including end-to-end computerization in  order to  ensure transparent recording of  transactions at all  levels,  and to prevent diversion'.  Accordingly,  to ensure that entitled quantity of  foodgrains is distributed to the eligible  beneficiaries and to maintain  transparency,  all  the  States/U'Fs  have been requested to integrate electronic weighing scales with the electronic point of sales (ePoS) devices.

The current status of linking  of  e,PoS Devices with  electronic weighing  scale received from States/UTs is as follows:-

| articulars    | unrber of States   | IName of the States                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Integrated    | 7                  | iRl=P=maXFa -iS:iMRjmRrja;l-a:TFiiiFPradesh, West Bengal,                                                                                                                                 |
|               |                    | l                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| ot integrated |                    | n\ =maaa IPradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Andaman& Nicobar slands, DNH & DD, Lakshadweep,Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh |
| ot licable    |                    | laGan, Puducherry (The Act is being implemented in DBT Cash mode)                                                                                                                         |