Bhubaneswar/ New Delhi, May 27: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said the SARTHAK-PDS scheme will significantly strengthen food security for 81.35 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), with a central allocation of Rs 25,530 crore for the 16th Finance Commission period and continuation till March 31, 2031.
In a post on X, Pradhan said the Centre’s decision to integrate and continue SARTHAK-PDS as an umbrella scheme marks a major step towards creating a transparent, unified and citizen-centric Public Distribution System (PDS) under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He stated that the scheme would enhance food security through improved food grain movement, modernised supply-chain management and greater support for States, Union Territories and Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers, commonly known as ration shop owners.
“With a central outlay of Rs 25,530 crore for the 16th Finance Commission period and continuation till March 31, 2031, the scheme will strengthen food security for 81.35 crore NFSA beneficiaries through improved food grain movement, modernised supply-chain management and enhanced support for States/UTs and FPS dealers,” Pradhan said.
The Union Minister further highlighted that the integration of SMART-PDS initiatives, Aadhaar seeding, e-PoS automation, AI-driven monitoring and grievance redressal systems, along with technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Blockchain, would improve efficiency, transparency and last-mile delivery across the country.
Meanwhile, during a Cabinet briefing on Wednesday, the Centre announced that the SARTHAK-PDS scheme will be implemented for five years from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031. The scheme includes financial assistance to state agencies for intra-state transportation of food grains, support for fair price shops and modernisation of the public distribution system.
According to the government, the technology-driven initiative is expected to improve the identification of eligible beneficiaries and enhance citizen satisfaction. Officials also stated that the scheme could reduce the travel distance of food grains by 15 to 50 per cent, leading to reduced wastage and encouraging local procurement.
The logistics reforms under the programme are projected to generate annual savings of nearly Rs 280 crore while also reducing carbon emissions by around 35 per cent. The scheme will additionally introduce QR-coded tags for food grain bags and vehicle tracking systems to improve transparency and monitoring throughout the supply chain.
