Thiruvananthapuram: The Union government has issued an ultimatum to the state government to ensure end-to-end computerisation of the public distribution system in three months or face stoppage of additional grain allocation to the state. Official sources said the Centre’s fiat comes in the wake of a lobby, with the backing of ration wholesalers, making attempts to sabotage the computerisation process as it would end their opportunities to tinker with the documents and divert grains and other food materials meant for the public distribution system.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Nagaland are the only three states which have not implemented end-to-end computerisation which formed the most crucial element of the Food Security Act. Computerisation would ensure assured targeting of subsidy without diversion and leakage, real-time feedback on market rates, stock availability, and off take on geo-spatial index for decision-making and monitoring.
The project consisted of certain specific elements that are based on the best practices and specifications with inbuilt local level customisation such as biometric validation based on Aadhar, complete process and work flow-based transparency portal with minimal human intervention, integration of office automation for civil supplies department in conjunction with end-to-end computerisation, door-to-door delivery of food grains by the state government and creation of intermediate go-down and storage space for stocking a quarter’s allocation of food grain. All-India Ration Dealers Association general secretary Babychan Mukkadan told Deccan Chronicle that computerisation was implemented in 21 ration shops under a pilot basis initiated by the previous government but it made no further progress.
