SMART-PDS is a technological driven initiative and the need of hour, therefore, all the States/UTs should make earnest efforts to implement SMART-PDS at the earliest, said Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Textiles and Commerce & Industries while addressing Conference of Food Ministers of all States/UTs.
The Union Minister emphasised on a transparent and accountable system urging to reduce human intervention and promote automation in the existing processes. He said transparency should be of utmost importance for free supply chain of foodgrains under Public Distribution System.
Shri Goyal appreciated Andhra Pradesh Command Control and stated that Central Government along with State Government will work together for implementing in other states also.
On the Storage front, the Union Minister stated that Food Corporation of India (FCI) is upgrading their godowns into 5 star rated Godown and State Governments can also upgrade their godowns. With regard to settlement of pending claims of State Governments, he told that it is being done on priority basis and would be settled immediately.
The Union Minister also thanked all the Hon’ble Food Ministers of States, officers of States/UTs and officers of Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) for taking out time to attend this conference. He further emphasised that all those present in the conference are providing service to poor and therefore we should do our job honestly so that the poor gets their entitled foodgrain timely.
In his remarks, Shri. Ashwini Kumar Choubey Hon’ble Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Environment, Forest and Climate Change covered the major initiatives undertaken by the Government of India to strengthen the Public Distribution System in India.
In particular, he highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) implemented from April 2020 to December 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic in coordination with States & UTs and One Nation One Ration Card plan implemented to support migrant population.
