Sarthak PDS: Cabinet clears Rs 25,000-crore overhaul of public distribution system
The plan aims to strengthen fair price stores, modernize the public distribution system and provide assistance to government agencies for intra-state movement of foodgrains.
Calling it a “structural reform of the entire PDS system”, Vaishnaw said the initiative is not aimed at replacing the existing public distribution system but at improving transportation, logistics and material handling efficiency across the network.
“This is not a replacement for the existing PDS. It is a reform of transport, logistics and material handling of the PDS system,” Vaishnaw said, adding that state governments will benefit from improved food distribution regulations and more efficient supply chain operations.
The minister said the program has been designed around three key pillars to increase efficiency, transparency and citizen participation in the country’s food security architecture.
The first pillar, “Nirmal”, is an AI-powered, real-time PDS beneficiary registry that will enable live inter-ministerial integration and cross-program collaboration to streamline welfare distribution and reduce duplication.
The second pillar, “ASHA”, focuses on multilingual AI-powered grievance redressal and citizen engagement. The platform, integrated with WhatsApp and chatbot services, can be scaled to handle up to three lakh interactions per day, officials said. The third pillar, “Saksham”, is an AI-powered supply chain management platform with vehicle tracking, QR code-based traceability and demand forecasting tools aimed at improving logistics efficiency and tracking food grain movement.
According to the center, the optimization program is expected to reduce travel distances for food grain transportation by 15-50%, increase operational efficiency and reduce logistics costs.
Vaishnaw also stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the issue of rapid climate change in the cabinet meeting, noting that the Prime Minister had recently highlighted the issue through a series of public posts on social media.
The government said the initiative is part of a broader push towards technology-driven governance and more targeted welfare delivery systems.
