FNB News - NFDSA now covers 27 states; almost 100% ration cards digitised: Paswan

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POLICY & REGULATIONS

NFDSA now covers 27 states; almost 100% ration cards digitised: Paswan

Tuesday, 23 February, 2016, 08 : 00 AM [IST]

Our Bureau, New Delhi

With almost 100% (99.9%) ration cards digitised across the country, the Union government has claimed, the National Food Security Act (NFSA) is now covering 27 states. Over 42% ration cards have been even linked with Aadhaar cards and Point of Sale devices, to keep electronic record of allocation to the beneficiaries, and have been installed in over 77,000 ration shops across the country.

“These measures will help making PDS more transparent and leak-proof,” said Union minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution Ram Vilas Paswan recently.

Paswan said that number of states implementing National Food Security Act has now increased to 27, benefiting over 54 crore people with Rs 2/kg wheat and Rs3 kg rice. Now all 36 states/UTs have and online redressal of PDS grievances and tollfree number for beneficiaries while online allocation of food grains is being made in 20 states.

Meanwhile, the implementation of NFSA is likely to cover all the 36 states and Union territories by April. Under the Act, the Central government has also decided to share 50% (75% in the case of hilly and difficult areas) of the cost of handling & transportation of food grains incurred by the states and the dealers’ margin so that it is not passed on to the beneficiaries and they get coarse grains Rs1/kg, wheat at Rs2/kg and rice at Rs 3/kg.

Improving food grain management
Sustained efforts have resulted in significant reforms in TPDS. As a result so far-99.9 % ration cards are digitised. Some 42% ration cards have been seeded with Aadhaar, online allocation of food grains implemented in 20 states/UTs, 77,631 FPS automated by installing ‘Point of Sale’ device. Online grievance redressal implemented and tollfree helplines installed in all the 36 states/UTs. Transparency portal to display all operations of TPDS launched in 27 states/UTs.

Meanwhile, the Union food minister during a recent visit to the North-Eastern states said that North-East is priority area for his ministry. Adequate supply of food grains was ensured using multi-modal transport in North-Eastern states during disruption in rail route due to gauge conversion from Lumding to Badarpur; 80,000MT food grains moved through roads every month besides creating additional storage of 20,000 MT in the region. Food grains are also inducted into Tripura via riverine route passing through Bangladesh. Storage capacity of 62,650 MT has been created in North-East under Plan Scheme.