INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Prelims level : Polity & Governance, Health, Food Security, PDS Mains level : GS III Public Distribution System - objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
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Why in News?

  • Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has launched a new Central Sector scheme namely “Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS)” for implementation during 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Objectives:

  • To integrate the existing PDS systems/portals of States/UTs with the Central Systems/portals,
  • Introduction of National Portability of ration card holders to lift food grains from any fair price shop (FPS) across the country, and
    National level de-duplication of ration cards/beneficiary.

Significance:

  • The new scheme will bring more transparency and efficiency in distribution of food grains as it will improve the mechanism to identify fake/duplicate ration cards.
  • It will provide the option to PDS beneficiaries to lift their entitled food grains from the Fair Price Shops of their choice at the national level.
  • Presently, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi has started portability at the State level, whereas, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana have also started portability in the few FPS areas within the State.

IM-PDS Portability:

  • IM-PDS scheme describes a mechanism for the transparent and efficient distribution of food grains. All the people having fake / duplicate ration cards will not be able to purchase ration at subsidized rates. Moreover, all the PDS beneficiaries will get benefit of purchasing entitled food grains from Fair Price Shops of their own choice across the country.
  • In the current scenario, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi govt. has already started portability at the State level. Moreover Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana govt. has also started portability in the few FPS areas within their own territory.
  • Govt. of India is not facing the problem of scarcity of food production but the main problem is management of agricultural produce.
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