Computerisaton of the public distribution system (PDS) and elimination of bogus ration cards have enabled better targeting of foodgrains worth about Rs 10,000 crore, Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said here on Thursday.

Addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Paswan said ration cards had been completely digitised in all the states.

Card details are available on the transparency portal of all states, he said, adding that online allocation of foodgrains to ration dealers was being made in 25 states.

Under the computerisation project with a cost of Rs 884 crore, the supply chain has also been computerised in 12 states and union territories, an official release said.

“States have also been requested to seed Aadhaar numbers in ration card database. At present, the overall seeding stands at 54.79 per cent at the national level,” he added.

To check the leakage and diversion of foodgrains, over 1, 11,772 fair price shops have so far been automated. “This count is likely to be increased to 3, 06,526 fair price shops by March, 2017, Paswan added.

comment COMMENT NOW