DigiDhan’ software had been uploaded in 2851 ration shops of the Public Distribution System (PDS) to provide customers cashless transaction facility in the entire State.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department officials said that out of 11, 828 ration shops about 7,467 shops are linked to Internet and cashless transactions are going to be operational soon.
Five cities of Chhattisgarh now have the Core-PDS system implemented involving a total of 484 ration shops, officials informed.
Chhattisgarh has achieved 100 per cent digitisation of the Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries database.
There are 23 other states in the country which have also achieved 100 per cent digitisation of the PDS database, officials stated.
Moreover, the Chhattisgarh Government is now also preparing a plan to use Aadhaar cards to identify Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries. It has prepared a comprehensive action plan for ensuring total transparency in the preparation of ration cards besides evolving a mechanism for error-free identity of Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries.
Under the action plan, the mobile, bank account and Aadhaar numbers of the beneficiaries are being collected.
Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection Minister Punnulal Mohle said that the State Government has also made a provision of Rs 4,700 crore for implementation of ‘Chief Minister Food and Nutrition Security scheme’ in the State budget 2015-16.
The Government had made a provision of Rs 1.75 crore in the form of extension of ‘Core PDS’ for its ‘Meri Marzi Scheme.’
Chhattisgarh’s Public Distribution System (PDS) model has gram panchayats, co-operative societies and women’s self help groups (SHGs) operating the fair price shops, officials stated. About 90 % of the masses are covered under Food and Nutrition Security Act was implemented in 2013, officials stated.
Chhattisgarh’s PDS under Antyodaya and Priority families schemes provides 35 kg food grains at Rs 1 per kilo. Since June 2014 single member category ration card-holders under destitutes segment are provided 10 kg food grains free of cost.
Chhattisgarh State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Punnulal Mohle had called upon the Central Government to computerise the ration shops under the Public Distribution System (PDS) while addressing the State Food Ministers’ National Conference in New Delhi last year. He had called upon the Central Government to provide two-kg ‘Daal’ (pulses) at Rs 10 per kg to the Antyodaya and Priority and below poverty card-holders under the National Food Security Act this should be done. Union Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Ramvilas Paswan and Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh were also present at the meeting.