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Government strive for intelligently optimized PDS operations through advanced technologies to ensure transparency, security and sustainability in PDS operations

in National May 27, 2026 Comments Off on Government strive for intelligently optimized PDS operations through advanced technologies to ensure transparency, security and sustainability in PDS operations 211 Views

Newdelhi:27/5/26:The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the continuation of the “Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS” (SARTHAK PDS) as an umbrella scheme, in the 16th  Finance Commission cycle award period, with an outlay of Rs. 25,530 crore as Central share.

The CCEA has also decided to revise the norms of Central assistance for meeting expenditure incurred by States/UTs for intra-state movement & handling of foodgrains, FPS dealers’ margin, and the continuation of the existing funding pattern of Central Assistance.

The Scheme is conceived as an umbrella scheme integrating the ongoing schemes: (i) “Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of foodgrains and FPS dealers’ margin under NFSA” and (ii) “Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART PDS)” to comprehensively strengthen implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).

SARTHAK-PDS Scheme aims to provide (a) assured financial support for intra-State movement, handling, and FPS dealer’s margin, and (b) a unified, citizen-centric, intelligent,t and interoperable PDS architecture that ensures last-mile service delivery, minimizes leakage, es and strengthens the nation’s commitment to food security under NFSA, with the merged scheme to operate up to 31.03.2031.

SARTHAK-PDS Scheme seeks 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, by creating standardized architectures and unified databases for real-time monitoring, AI-driven grievance and analytics systems, State Command Control Centres for data-driven oversight, and ISO-certified process frameworks to ensure transparency, security and sustainability in PDS operationThe s.The

Government of India has a social & legal commitment to the people of the nation: a dignified life, ensuring access to food and nutritional security through the availability of adequate quantities of quality food grains. The Scheme will work towards fulfilling the Government of India’s commitment to 81.35 crore persons covered under NFSA. Building on the statutory and policy framework, SARTHAK-PDS retains and streamlines the financial assistance component while simultaneously embedding it within a modern, technology-driven PDS ecosystem.

Over the past decade, the Government has implemented multiple digitization initiatives such as End-to-End Computerization of TPDS, Integrated Management of PDS (IM-PDS), and SMART PDS, along with citizen-facing applications like Mera Ration, Anna Mitra, Rightful Targeting Dashboard, and Anna Sahayata, and since 1st April 2023, the SMART PDS scheme has acted as the cornerstone of technology-led reforms by enabling complete digitization of ration cards, Aadhaar seeding, FPS automation through e-PoS, online allocation, and computerized supply-chain management across 36 States/UTs.

 

About Editor in chief

Ashok Palit has completed his graduation from Upendranath College Soro, Balasore and post graduation from Utkal University in Odia Language and literture.. He has also carved out a niche for himself as a scribe of eminence after joining the profession in 1988. He is also an independent media production professional. He brings loads of experience to Advanced Media, Ashok Palit as a cineaste has been active in film criticism for over three decades. As a film society activist, he soared to eminence for his profound commitment to the art film appreciation and aesthetics of cinema. His mode of discourse is often erudite but always lucid and comprehensible marked by a perfect acumen so rare in the field. A film aesthete with an immense fond of critical sensibilities, he wrote about growth and development of odia cinema in New Indian Express, The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Asian Age and Screen. He has been working as an Editor for Cine Samaya from 2002-2004.. He had made solid contribution on cinema in many odia Dailies and weekly such as Samaj, Prajatantra, Dharatri, Samaya, Satabadi, and weekly Samaya.
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