NEWS:  Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)à Approved the continuation and integration of public distribution programs into an umbrella scheme called SARTHAK-PDS.

About

• The Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS (SARTHAK-PDS)
• Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
• Systematically integrates two major ongoing public distribution components to eliminate administrative fragmentation
  • Strengthen the statutory implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA)
  • Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of foodgrains and FPS dealers’ margin
  • Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART PDS)

OBJECTIVE

• To achieve absolute last-mile food delivery security by providing assured financial backing for the transport of foodgrains and Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealer margins.

Key Features:

• Revises and streamlines Central financial assistanceà To meet the real-world operational expenditures incurred by States and Union Territories for intra-state grain handling, storage, and transport.
• Guarantees higher and standardized dealer commissions linked with mandatory automation frameworks to promote ease of doing business and sustain local ration shops.
• Optimizes daily PDS operations by actively embedding new-age technologies, including:
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML)à Used for predictive supply-chain tracking, identifying systemic diversions, and driving algorithmic fraud detection.
• Powers multi-lingual, automated interactive voice responses and grievance registration systems for beneficiaries.
• Blockchain Technologyà Deployed to construct unalterable ledger entries tracking grain allocations from central warehouses to individual plates, guaranteeing extreme security.
• It will have three major AI enabled modules named NIRMAL, ASHA and SAKSHAM.
• Unified Data Architectureà Mandates a standardized, interoperable database infrastructure spanning all 36 States and UTs.
• Integrates existing tracking platforms like IM-PDS, Mera Ration, Anna Mitra, and Anna Sahayata.
• Establishes centralized control hubs at the state level to give administrators data-driven, real-time oversight over supply chain drops, inventory levels, and operational e-PoS (Electronic Point of Sale) devices.