Paswan asks NE states to implement total PDS computerisation

Union Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan today asked North Eastern states including Meghalaya to implement the end-to-end computerisation of the public distribution system to check leakages.
"I had personally written to all the chief ministers to implement the end-to-end computerisation of the PDS and they must see that complaints should not be there," Paswan told reporters after chairing the Hindi Salahakar Samity meeting held in the city here today.
The move comes following complaints from beneficiaries about either less quantity or poor quality of foodgrains being supplied to them.
Paswan said this will ensure end-to-end tracking of foodgrains till the point it (foodgrain) reaches the fair price shops.

So far, 18 states have implemented the end-to-end computerisation of PDS.
On the other hand, the Union minister also asked the chief ministers to ensure Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) facilities are in place for both urban and rural areas.

"It is upto the state governments to request as we have no problem," Paswan said while informing that only three states including Puducherry and Chandigarh have implemented the DBT which is being sent direct to the beneficiary's account.
On the complaints of failure to distribute the rice for past few months, the union minister said that the state governments should also ensure that such complaints are addressed as this is under its purview.

Paswan further suggested that the beneficiaries should
file case as per the provision of National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Meanwhile, the Union minister informed that the government is setting up one storage depot of 5000 metric tonnes capacity at Thangsalai in Mawdiangdiang area of which the process for land acquisition is on.
Paswan informed that a similar depot of 2500 MT storage capacity is under construction at Baghmara in South Garo Hills district.
On implementation of NFSA, he said a total of 34 states including Meghalaya have implemented the NFSA with 100 per cent digitisation, which was in contrast to only 11 states when the NDA government came to power.

He, however, said that there are only two states which are yet to implement the NFSA - Kerela and Tamil Nadu and the reason is due to elections but they have assured that they will implement it by December this year.
A similar meeting will also be held in Guwahati tomorrow, the minister said, adding the main purpose is to ensure that the NFSA should be implemented throughout the country.
Earlier, Paswan also took note that the Aadhaar card is yet to be linked to the ration cards in Meghalaya due to some problems.