THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ahead of the implementation of the Food Security Act, the state government has taken steps to fully computerise the Public Distribution System.
A pilot project for computerisation of 21 ration shops is currently being implemented in the state and door delivery has been implemented in Kothamangalam taluk.
The government has also identified land for storage of three months’ stock of foodgrain as buffer stock in six districts. The government has also sanctioned posts of Grievance Redressal Officers. “The state government wants to ensure that not a single person in the state is left out of the Public Distribution System,” Food Minister Anoop Jacob said in a statement.
Only 1.54 crore people in the state (46 per cent of the population) will benefit if the Centre’s norm that only 67 per cent of the people should be provided foodgrains at subsidised rate is implemented.
The state government has apprised the Centre of the need to include the remaining 1.79 crore people (54 per cent of the population) too under the ambit of PDS. While the state’s actual requirement of foodgrain is 16.24 lakh metric tonnes, the Centre is willing to provide only 14.25 lakh metric tonnes, the Food Minister said.
The Food Security Act is also silent about the subsidised foodgrains that need to be provided to over 1,000 welfare institutions in the state, Anoop Jacob said. The Minister also assured that the data entry work of ration cards is progressing at a fast pace.