Food Security for 81 Crore People to be Further Strengthened: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated on Wednesday that the SARTHE-PDS scheme will bolster the food security of 81.35 crore NFSA beneficiaries. To this end, a central allocation of ₹25,530 crore has been made for the period of the 16th Finance Commission, and the scheme will continue until March 31, 2031. The Union Education Minister remarked that the integration and continuity of this scheme constitute a concrete step towards a transparent and citizen-centric Public Distribution System (PDS). He stated, “The Cabinet has approved the integration and continuation of ‘Sarthak-PDS’ as a comprehensive scheme—a significant step, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, towards building an integrated, transparent, and citizen-centric Public Distribution System.” On Wednesday, the Central Government announced the Sarthak-PDS scheme, involving a total outlay of ₹25,530 crore. The objective of this scheme is to modernize the Public Distribution System (PDS), improve logistics, and implement Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based systems for beneficiary management and grievance redressal. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, made this announcement during a Cabinet briefing. According to details shared during the briefing, the Sarthak-PDS scheme will remain in force for a period of five years, from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2031. The scheme encompasses assistance to state agencies for the inter-state transportation of food grains, support for Fair Price Shops, and the modernization of the Public Distribution System. Under the next phase of ‘Smart PDS,’ the government also announced the launch of three key AI-enabled modules named ‘Nirmal,’ ‘Asha,’ and ‘Saksham.’ The Nirmal platform will function as an AI-powered, real-time PDS beneficiary registry, facilitating inter-ministerial integration as well as coordination across various government schemes. The Asha module is designed as a multilingual AI-based grievance redressal and citizen engagement platform, operating via calls, WhatsApp, IVRS, and chatbots. According to the government, this system will be capable of handling up to 300,000 interactions daily. The Saksham platform will serve as an AI-enabled supply chain management system, featuring capabilities such as vehicle tracking, QR-code traceability, demand forecasting, and route optimization. The government noted that this new technology-driven system is expected to enhance the identification of eligible beneficiaries and boost levels of citizen satisfaction. As per the information presented during the Cabinet briefing, the ‘Asha AI Food Security Assistant’ is expected to facilitate the swift redressal of citizen grievances in their preferred languages. It will aid in prevention. The government also stated that this scheme is expected to reduce the travel distance for food grains by 15 to 50 percent, thereby resulting in savings of food grains and providing a boost to local procurement. Improvements made to logistics under this program are estimated to generate annual savings of approximately ₹280 crore, while also leading to a 35 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Under this scheme, QR code-enabled tags on grain sacks and vehicle tracking systems will also be implemented, thereby enhancing transparency and oversight within the supply chain.