PM Modi Announces Modernisation of Public Distribution System with SARTHAK-PDS
PM Modi: Govt committed to modernising PDS for timely food delivery
Image: Asianet Newsable
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed the government's commitment to timely food delivery through the SARTHAK-PDS scheme, which aims to modernise the Public Distribution System (PDS) with a budget of ₹25,530 crore. The initiative includes AI-driven platforms to enhance logistics, beneficiary management, and grievance resolution.
- 01The SARTHAK-PDS scheme has a total outlay of ₹25,530 crore and will run from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2031.
- 02Three AI-enabled modules — NIRMAL, ASHA, and SAKSHAM — will be introduced to enhance PDS operations.
- 03The initiative aims to reduce travel distance for food grains by 15 to 50 percent, thereby saving food and promoting local procurement.
- 04Logistics improvements are expected to generate annual savings of around ₹280 crore and reduce carbon emissions by 35 percent.
- 05QR-coded tags will be introduced for food grain bags to enhance transparency and monitoring in the supply chain.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the continuation and modernisation of the Public Distribution System (PDS) through the SARTHAK-PDS scheme, aimed at ensuring timely food delivery to needy individuals across India. The scheme, with a budget of ₹25,530 crore, will run for five years, from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2031. It focuses on enhancing logistics and introducing artificial intelligence-based systems for better beneficiary management and grievance resolution. Key components include the NIRMAL platform for real-time beneficiary registry, the ASHA module for multilingual citizen engagement, and the SAKSHAM platform for AI-enabled supply chain management. The government anticipates that these advancements will improve beneficiary identification, reduce food grain travel distances by 15 to 50 percent, and generate annual savings of approximately ₹280 crore while cutting carbon emissions by 35 percent. Additionally, QR-coded tags will be implemented to improve supply chain transparency.
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The modernisation of the PDS is expected to enhance food distribution efficiency, benefiting millions of eligible citizens across India.
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