Cabinet approves Rs 25,530 crore SARTHAK-PDS scheme

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs CCEA has approved continuation of the Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS, SARTHAK-PDS as an umbrella scheme, in the 16th Finance Commission cycle award period, with an outlay of Rs 25,000 crore as Central share. Briefing media in New Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said, the scheme will provide assistance to state agancies for intra-state movement of food grains,will support fair price shops and help in modernisation of public distribution system.  Vaishnaw said, it will have three major AI enabled modules named NIRMAL, ASHA and SAKSHAM. He said, Nirmal is AI driven realtime PDS beneficiary registry, Asha is multilingual AI grievance and citizen engagement platform and Saksham is AI enabled supply chain platform with vehicle tracking.   

VIDEO | Delhi: Addressing media after Union Cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, “Next element is ‘Asha,’ an AI-enabled system to resolve any public grievances. It also includes proactive feedback. Today, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi was… pic.twitter.com/m4g2TGdGLY

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The CCEA has also decided to revise the norms of Central assistance for meeting expenditure incurred by States and UTs intra-state movement and handling of foodgrains and Fair Price Shops dealers’ margin and continuation of the existing funding pattern of Central Assistance.  The Minister said, the Scheme will work towards fulfilling the Government’s commitment to 81.35 crore persons covered under National Food Security Act. He said, the scheme is not replacement of the existing PDS scheme.