The Union Cabinet has approved a major overhaul of India’s public distribution system (PDS) with a Rs 25,000 crore programme called Sarthak PDS, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday.
The new plan aims to modernise ration delivery, reduce leakages, improve transparency, and strengthen food security across the country.
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The government plans to use technology-driven reforms to improve the efficiency of the ration distribution system under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The programme will focus on digitisation, better supply-chain monitoring, and improving beneficiary services.
Centre Rolls Out Digital Rupee Pilot System in PDS as Part of Further Digitalisation of Food Grain DistributionUnder the new initiative, fair price shops across the country will be modernised. The government is planning to upgrade infrastructure, introduce smart systems, and improve storage and distribution facilities to reduce wastage and corruption.
The scheme will also strengthen the use of biometric authentication and Aadhaar-based verification to ensure that subsidised food grains reach genuine beneficiaries. This will help prevent duplicate or fake ration cards.
The programme is expected to improve portability under the “One Nation One Ration Card” system, allowing beneficiaries to access ration benefits from any part of the country more smoothly.
The government also plans to improve data integration between states and central systems to track grain movement and monitor stock availability in real time. Advanced digital monitoring systems may be introduced to increase accountability.
The overhaul will include better grievance redressal systems so beneficiaries can report problems more easily.
Aadhaar-Linked Payments Slash India's Welfare Leakage By 12.7%: BCG ReportAuthorities are also looking to improve doorstep delivery mechanisms in remote and difficult regions.
The Rs 25,000 crore package is expected to be implemented over multiple years and will involve coordination between the Centre, state governments, and food distribution agencies.
Officials believe the reforms will help reduce food grain leakages, improve operational efficiency, and make the public distribution system more transparent and reliable for millions of people who depend on subsidised food support in India.