Lok Sabha Question No. 241 (STARRED), answered on 2023-12-20
Subject: Computerization of PDS Shops
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Manjulata Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.241 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH DECEMBERI 2023

## COMPUTERIZATION  OF PDS SHOPS

## '241.  SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD AND  PUBLIC DiSTRiBUTiON av siren qm+, vr© M  WT8rfqq; fRvar THt be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of current status of digitalization under Public Distribution System  (PDS) Scheme;
- (b) the  number of  PDS shops which have been computerised across the country including the States of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andaman & Nicobar  Islands;
- (c)  whether  any  time  limit has  been fixed  for  completion of computerisation of PDS across the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the current  status  of linking  Ration Card with  Aadhaar Card across the country and the response of all the States/UTs thereto;
- (e) 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
- (f) the other steps taken by the Government to check malpractices in Public Distribution System?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to  (f): A statement  is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED  TO  IN REPLY  TO  PARTS (a) TO  (f) OF  THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 241  DUE FOR ANSWER ON 20.12.2023  IN THE LOK SABHA.

(a) to (f): 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 States of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) 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 had earlier  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 beneficiaries in the country.

Further, a new  Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) -  'Scheme for Modernization and  Reforms through Technology in  Public  Distribution System (SMART-PDS)' is under implementation to continue and sustain the  systematic information technology-led reforms brought in  the functioning of Public  Distribution System (PDS) operations by overcoming the State level technological limitations with respect to Server, Software, leveraging of cloud infrastructure and institutionalizing an integrated Central System covering all  PDS related operations across the country.

Presently, 99.8% ration  cards are seeded with  Aadhaar number at national level. 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 31/03/2024. Until then, all States/UTs  have been  advised  that no genuine beneficiary/household shall be deleted from the list of  eligible ration cards/ beneficiaries and shall not be denied their entitled quota of foodgrains under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) only for want of Aadhaar number or only on the ground of not possessing an Aadhaar number, failure  of biometric authentication due to network/ connectivity/ linking  issues or any  other  technical  reasons etc. 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(9) of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Control Order, 2015, it  is stated  that  State/UT 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 en extra income. States/UTs may also explore the possibility  for empanelment of suppliers to  provide other  products such as Khadi/Ayush products/MSME

products through  FPSs.

Further, 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 (eontrol)  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:-

- (a) regularly supervise the  implementation of all  schemes under this
- Act;
- (b) inform the District Grievance Redressal Officer, in writing, of any
- violation of the provisions of this Act; and
- (c) 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  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 241  DUE FOR ANSWER ON 20H12.2023 IN THE LOK SABHAa

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

|   S. N. | State/UT          | 1 Total Ration Card in Central System   | 1 Total I Ration 1 Cards I Seeded with I Aadhaar   | 1 % 1 I Seeding I I of 1 1 Ration I I Cards   | Total Fair Price Shops   | 1Operational 1with ePOS I devices   | 1 % FPS I Automation   |
|---------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------------------|------------------------|
|       1 | A&N Islands       | 17, 183                                 | 17, 183                                            | Fl                                            | -m                       | 416                                 | 100%                   |
|       2 | Andhra Pradesh    | 90,34,482                               | 90,34 ,482                                         | T6®F2D7                                       | T                        | 29,791                              | 100%                   |
|       3 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1                                       |                                                    | 8                                             |                          | 1,680                               | 100%                   |
|       4 | Assam             | 54,40,807                               | 54,34, 128                                         | 100%                                          | 34,300                   | 34,286                              | 100%                   |
|       5 | Bihar             | 1,91,78,001                             | 1,90,88,201                                        | 100%                                          | 50,95 1                  | 50,95 1                             | 100%                   |
|       6 | Chandigarh        | 74,726                                  | 74,409                                             | 100%                                          | NA                       | NA                                  | NA                     |
|       7 | Chhattisgarh      | 53,67,521                               | 53,65,323                                          | 100%                                          | 13,675                   | 13,675                              | 100%                   |
|       8 | DNH and D&D       | 58,075                                  | 58,075                                             | 100%                                          | 114                      | 114                                 | 100%                   |
|       9 | Delhi             | 17,83, 129                              | 17,83,129                                          | 100%                                          | 1,993                    | 1,993                               | 100%                   |
|      10 | Goa               | 1,43,899                                | 1,43,514                                           | 100%                                          | 452                      | 452                                 | 100%                   |
|      11 | Gujarat           | 77,23,559                               | 77, 12,270                                         | 100%                                          | 16,949                   | 16,949                              | 100%                   |
|      12 | Haryana           | 44,55,037                               | 44,55,037                                          | 100%                                          | 9,434                    | 9,434                               | 100%                   |
|      13 | Himachal Pradesh  | 7,61,485                                | 7,61 ,485                                          | 100%                                          | 5,21.9                   | 5,155                               | 99%                    |
|      14 | J&K               | 16,61,875                               | 16,61,855                                          | 100%                                          | 6,737                    | 6,737                               | 100%                   |
|      15 | Jharkhand         | 60,87,625                               | 59,96,216                                          | 98%                                           | 25,228                   | 25,228                              | 100%                   |
|      16 | Karnataka         | 1,14,52,95 1                            | 1,14,52,951                                        | 100%                                          | 20,403                   | 20,325                              | 100%                   |
|      17 | Kerala            | 41 ,37,626                              | 41,35,684                                          | 100%                                          | 13,913                   | 13,905                              | 100%                   |
|      18 | mach              | rn9                                     | 29,026                                             | 99%                                           | 404                      | 404                                 | 100%                   |
|      19 | Lakshadweep       | rm5                                     | 5,377                                              | 100%                                          | 39                       | 39                                  | 100%                   |
|      20 | Madhya Pradesh    | 1,27,69,378                             | 1,27,64,064                                        | 100%                                          | 27,377                   | 27, 127                             | 99%                    |
|      21 | Maharashtra1      | 1.59.51.462 1.59.51.462                 | 1 T:gm,721                                         | 100%                                          | 52,642                   | 52,642                              | 100%                   |

| 22               | Manipur          | 5,66,335     | 5,63,705     | 100%   | 2,339    | 2,339     | 100%   |
|------------------|------------------|--------------|--------------|--------|----------|-----------|--------|
| 23               | Meghalaya        | 4, 16,296    | 2,86,969     | 69%    | 4,735    | 4,727     | 100%   |
| 24               | Mizoram          | 1,73,361     | 1,72,748     | 100%   | 1,258    | 1,258     | 100%   |
| 25               | Nagaland         | 3,29,257     | 3, 19,396    | 97%    | 1,783    | 1,774     | 99%    |
| 26               | Odisha           | 93,15,606    | 92,58,661    | 99%    | 12,044   | 12,044    | 100%   |
| 27               | Puducherry       | 1,99,991     | 1,99,797     | 100%   | NA       | NA        | NA     |
| 28               | Punjab           | 37,87,561    | 37,87, 132   | 100%   | 18,150   | 18, 150   | 100%   |
| 29               | Rajasthan        | 1,07,45, 502 | 1,07,34,859  | 100%   | 27,062   | 25,579    | 95%    |
| 30               | Sikkim           | 97,711       | 97,433       | 100%   | 1,312    | 1,312     | 100%   |
| 31               | Tamil Nadu       | 1, 14,40,074 | 1, 14,40,055 | 100%   | 34,805   | 34,805    | 100%   |
| 32               | Telangana        | 54,33,823    | 54,33,823    | 100%   | 17,246   | 17,246    | 100%   |
| 33               | Tripura          | 6,04,373     | 6,03,950     | 100%   | 2,057    | 2,057     | 100%   |
| 34               | Uttarakhand      | 13,95,319    | 13,95,240    | 100%   | 9,059    | 9,059     | 100%   |
| 35               | Uttar Pradesh    | 3,60,69,935  | 3,60,66,440  | 100%   | 79,216   | 79,216    | 100%   |
| 36               | West Bengal      | 1,37,21,351  | 1,37, 11,346 | 100%   | 20,476   | 20,476    | 100%   |
| National Summary | National Summary | 20,06,16,426 | 20,01,44,968 | 99,76% | 5,43,259 | 5,41 ,345 | 99,65% |

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