The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has launched a new central sector scheme- Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IMPDS). Under this scheme, it will be ensured that the fair price of food grains through the public distribution system is transferred to the consumer. It will also control corruption in the public distribution system.
The Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IMPDS) is an innovation in the Food Corporation of India’s supply chain mechanism, and aims to provide an integrated platform for monitoring and managing public distribution systems by integrating information from all the states. This system will enable the implementation of a Targeted Public Distribution System, where beneficiaries can avail their share of foodgrains from any district.
The key objective of the proposed system is to ensure transparency and efficiency in the functioning of fair price shops and post-offices that have been engaged by the department for disbursement of food grains under the National Food Security Act.
Under the current system, there is no mechanism to prevent the same beneficiary from being counted twice. Once the beneficiary data is available at the national level and de-duplication has been done, it is to be made available to states and UTs in a de-identified form. This would ensure that the same beneficiary is not counted more than once for different government schemes/programs.
The PDS has a pivotal role to play in the overall poverty reduction strategy. It provides an effective means of targeting the poor and vulnerable households and at the same time boost the local grain economy thus reducing the consumer price inflationary pressures. The system will contribute to bringing more transparency and efficiency into the public distribution system of foodgrains.
The significance of the System is that it will improve the mechanism to identify fake/duplicate ration cards and provide the option to PDS beneficiaries to lift their entitled foodgrains from the Fair Price Shops of their choice at the national level.
The scheme will ensure the food security of migrant labourers who move to other states to seek better job opportunities. It will provide the workers virtual and direct access to cheap food, shelter and healthcare at designated centres or Food Parks being set up in the states they work in.