19.79 crore ration cards digitized under the Public Distribution System

The Union Minister of State for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today informed that as on date, all 19.79 crore ration cards issued under National Food Security Act (NFSA) have been digitized under the Public Distribution System reforms and all the States/UTs have developed their transparency portal/PDS Portal too.

Under Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms, nearly 100% automation of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) has also been achieved (i.e. nearly 5.33 Lakh out of 5.34 Lakh FPSs)by installing electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices at FPSs for biometric authentication of beneficiaries and electronic capturing of transaction data, to ensure rightful targeting of NFSA beneficiaries. Around 95% of total allocated foodgrains across the country are being distributed through these ePoS devices, post biometric/Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries.

The Government has approved the supply of fortified rice throughout the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and in Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of Government of India in all States and Union Territories (UTs) by the year 2024, in a phase-wise manner. The phase-wise implementation of the initiative throughout the country is envisaged below:

Phase-I: Covered ICDS and PM-POSHAN in all over India by March 2022.

Phase-II: Phase I above plus TPDS and OWS in all Aspirational and High Burden Districts on stunting (total 291 districts) by March 2023.

Phase-III: Phase II above plus covering the remaining districts of the country by March 2024.

At present 27 States/UTs are distributing fortified rice through TPDS. As on 05.03.2023, approximately 95.72Lakh Metric Ton (LMT) of fortified rice has been distributed through TPDS under phase-II.

Nearly 100% Fair Price Shops (FPSs) are having electronic-Point of Sales (e-PoS) device for Aadhaar authenticated distribution of foodgrains to rightful beneficiaries of National Food Security Act (NFSA).No issue has been faced under implementation.