PLUGGING THE LEAKS Improving reach and efficiency of the Public

Distribution System

Suggestion for enhancing PDS

K.P.ARUN(Team coordinator)

Arunai college of engineering

About PDS • The Public Distribution System (PDS) in India is the world’s largest food

distribution system supplying essential commodities to around 18 million

families.

• The PDS predominantly covers four commodities, namely - rice, wheat,

kerosene and sugar.

• PDS were guarenteeing a stable selling price for the farmers and providing

essential commodities to the poor at tolerable prices .

• The Central and the State governments are jointly responsible for the

functioning of the PDS.

• Through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) ,Central government is

responsible for procuring, storing, transporting and allocating the food

grains to the State Governments.

• The State governments are responsible for identification of families below

the poverty line, allocation of ration through the Fair Price Shops (FPS),

issuing ration cards and supervision.

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Current status of PDS • Public distribution system i.e rationing distribution is one of the widely

controversial issue that involves corruption and illegal smuggling of goods.

• One reason of this to happen is because every job in the ration shop

involves manual work and there is no specific technology involved in

automating the job.

• Involvement of manual work pays way for a lots of irregularities.

For example –

Wrong entries in stock register of shop containing wrong stock information

of the products that is supplied to the public.

Sometimes there are chance of distribution of low quality/graded products

than the actual products provided by the Government for supplying to the

public.

The information regarding the actual available stock quantity in a ration

shop that is provided by the Government to the public.

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Proposed system • The Government in India is having a UID (Unique Identication) number

system called AADHAR number, which contains all related information

such as address, contact numbers, bank account information etc. for every

resident in the country.

• Using the AADHAR number and contact details,the Government can send

a message (SMS) to the individuals, containing information regarding

quality and quantity of products allotted to him/her in a respective/specific

ration shop.

Process steps for proposed system:

• The person would have to swipe the card on the system placed at ration

shop counter.

• After that for security authentication and to prevent card misuse,the person

should enter his/her finger print.

• Then only the system produces the bill for particular quantity of particular

product that could be distributed on particular scheduled day alloted for

that person’s family.

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Cont… • After billing,that person is sent to cash counter for paying the bill and also

the bill must be sealed.

• For that sealed bill only, the product is distributed.

• At that time,payment details and essential details are updated in the central

system at that shop for predicting and monitoring how much quantity is

distributed and remaining stock.

• And also the current updated details are updated to the district database at

the district where that particular ration shop is located.

• Likewise,details at all the district databases of a particular state is updated

to that state govt. database and inturn to central govt. database.

• Government can provide/supply various products (like sugar,dhals,cooking

oil etc.,) to rationing shops in the form of sealed packets instead of the

sack.

• In the ration shop,calibration of electronic weighing machine is very much

essential for proper distribution of rice,wheat,etc.,

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Proposed distribution of kerosene

• Till now the distribution of kerosene through PDS is done manually by

workers.

• This manual distribution consumes more time and suffering the people- a

lot.

• This manual distribution pays way for a lot of irregularities and illegal

diversions.

Solution:

Implementing the above suggested automated PDS system.

Also, instead of manual distribution,using the methododology

following in the distribution of petrol/diesel at the bunks.

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Merits of proposed solution

• While implementing this method ,It is possible to prevent the

corruption,illegal diversions and irregularities at ration shop.

• Using such a sytem, Government would have easy controlling and

monitoring over the transactions at ration shop.

• This would bring the transparency in public distribution system as there

will be a direct communication between people and Government through

this.

• It is possible to get data and records which is very much used for the

proper estimation and allocation of products for public distribution.

• Distribution of products under such system will reach over the all level of

peoples effectively.

• Also,food security is achieved through this method.

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Way for effective implementation

• It is some what difficult to implement this suggested system immediately.

• Before starting with implementation,first of all ,the government has to

create awareness about the features of the suggested automatic PDS

system.

• For effective awareness,creating awareness to public through school and

college students ,newspapers,articles,TV and radio advertisements,general

meetings,posters,bit notices,etc.,

• After creating the strong awareness,it is better to implement this system.

• Implementation of this system gives more employment oppurtunities to the

citizens of our beloved nation.

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Current PDS in

Tamilnadu

• Rice being given free of cost to

1.8 crore families.

12 kg/month(min)

20 kg/month(max)

• AAY beneficiaries receiving 35

kg of rice/family/month

• Wheat being given at a cost of

Rs.5.50 / kg.

• Sugar to rice drawing holders-

500 g(min) and 2 kg (max).

• Kerosene to families not having

gas connection were given at a

price of Rs.14.40 / litre.

Suggestion:

In Tamilnadu,this PDS scheme is

reached to the public but not

effectively and efficiently due to

illegal diversions and irregularities.

If our proposed system is

implemented,then it is sure to

achieve effectiveness and efficiency.

It is not only for Tamilnadu but also

for entire nation.

-Ja i h ind

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