New Delhi, 27 May. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the continuation of the Assistance Scheme for Automation in Ration Transportation and Handling-Income (Sarthak PDS) in the Public Distribution System (PDS) as an umbrella scheme for the next five years.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told reporters after the Cabinet meeting that the scheme to assist in ration transportation and management along with automation in PDS will be applicable for five years from April 2026 to March 2031. For this, the Central Government’s share has been fixed at Rs 25,530 crore.
According to an official statement, the CCEA has also decided to revise the norms of central assistance to meet the expenditure incurred by states and union territories on intra-state movement and handling of food grains, margins of FPS dealers and to continue the existing funding pattern of central assistance.
The statement said that the scheme has been designed as an ‘umbrella scheme’ in the allocation period of the 16th Finance Commission. The scheme integrates assistance to State agencies for inter-State movement of food grains and FPS dealers’ margins under NFSA and the Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in the Public Distribution System (Smart PDS), so as to comprehensively strengthen the implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).
The ‘Sarthak’ PDS scheme aims to provide assured financial support to interstate movement, handling and FPS dealer margins, and to provide an integrated, citizen-centric, intelligent and interoperable PDS structure, ensuring last mile delivery. Reduces leakages and strengthens the nation’s commitment to food security under NFSA. This integrated scheme will remain operational till March 31, 2031.
The Sarthak PDS scheme aims to modernize, integrate and intelligently optimize PDS operations through advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Blockchain.
Under this, standardized structures and integrated databases for real-time monitoring, AI-driven complaint and analysis system, State Command Control Center for data-driven inspection and ISO-certified processing structures have been created to ensure transparency, security and sustainability in PDS operations.
the scheme 81.35 Will prove beneficial for crores of people
It is the social and legal commitment of the Government of India towards the citizens of India to provide them food and nutritional security by making available adequate quantity of quality food grains so that they can ensure a dignified life. This scheme will work towards fulfilling the commitment of the Government of India to 81.35 crore persons covered under National Food Security Support (NFS). Based on the statutory and policy framework, the Sarthak-PDS scheme streamlines the financial assistance component while maintaining it and also integrating it into the modern, technology-based PDS system.
In the last decade, the Central Government has implemented several digitization initiatives such as end-to-end computerization of TPDS, Integrated Management of PDS (IM-PDS) and Smart PDS, as well as citizen-centric initiatives such as Mera Rashan, Anna Mitra, Rightful Targeting Dashboard and Anna Sahayata. The Smart PDS scheme has served as the cornerstone of technology-led reforms by enabling complete digitization of ration cards, Aadhaar seeding, FPS automation through e-POS, online allotment and computerized supply-chain management in 36 States/UTs from April 1, 2023.
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