Govt to computerize public distribution system

NEW DELHI, INDIA: In order to improve the efficiency of the targeted public distribution system (TPDS) operation, the government has decided to computerize the entire system, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said on Tuesday.

"In the first phase, the scheme on computerization of TPDS operations had been approved to be implemented on pilot basis in three districts each of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Delhi," said K.V. Thomas, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

A pilot scheme on smart card-based delivery of essential commodities had been initiated in Chandigarh and Haryana. Under the scheme, existing ration cards were to be replaced by smart cards, he added.

According to the minister scheme for curbing leakages of foodgrains using technologies like global positioning system and radio frequency identification device has also been suggested during the 11th Five Year Plan.

Under the scheme, GPS sets have been installed on vehicles carrying TPDS commodities in the states of Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh on a pilot basis, the minister said.

States and union territories have also been requested to make relevant efforts to digitize their ration card databases and introduce Aadhaar in PDS.

During 2010-11, government has made allocation of 355.97 lakh tonnes of rice and 276.49 lakh tonnes of wheat under TPDS, other welfare schemes and ad-hoc additional allocations.