Jammu, Nov 21: Jammu and Kashmir government is contemplating to computerise the Public Distribution System in the state.
 Sources said that in compliance to the direction of Union Food Ministry, the state government has initiated the process for computerisation of the PDS in the state and has constituted a State Level Apex Committee (SLAC) to monitor the implementation of the scheme.
 To be headed by the Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, the committee comprise Administrative Secretary, Planning and Development Department, Administrative Secretary, Finance Department, Chairman, J&K Bank Limited or his representative, Administrative Secretary, CAPD Department, Administrative Secretary, IT Department, Director, CAPD Jammu/Kashmir and State Informatics Officer as its members.
 The SLAC, sources said, had been asked to ensure monitoring of the functioning of the Public Distribution System at the Fair Price Shop level through the computer network of the NIC to be installed in the District NIC centres. As per the proposed system computerized codes will be issued to each FPS in the district and the entire distribution of food grains will be monitored at the central level.
 The instructions, they said, were issued by the Union Ministry following a directive by the Supreme Court of India recently.
 The Apex Court had said that the Centre had no option but to computerise the world's largest distribution network having more than five lakh fair price shops, which annually distribute foodgrains worth more than Rs. 500 billion to about 180 million families.
 The SC direction was based on the recommendations of a high-powered committee headed by Justice D P Wadhwa, a retired Supreme Court judge.
 It divided the computerisation into two components - first to check and correct diversions, leakages, delays in allocation and transportation, distribution of food grains to fair price shops; and second, electronic authentication of delivery and payments at the fair price shop.
 The state government has already started some projects for introduction of e-PDS in the state. The department has started a process for tie-up with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for successful implementation of e-PDS.
 The GPS tracking devices will be installed on vehicles carrying foodgrains to different destinations so that its pilferage could be checked.
 The reforms pertaining to the PDS are being implemented by the state government to ensure that the foodgrains, after being released from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), reach the Fair Price Shops in the state in time.
 An official said that at present, Jammu and Srinagar are covered under "doorstep" delivery system of foodgrains and this shall be extended to the peripheries also.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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