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The Centre may have reduced its budget allocation for the Public Distribution System (PDS) this fiscal year but the Meghalaya government is determined to continue its yeoman services, such as digitising processes. Using technology at various stages has helped the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department ensure that PDS foodgrains reach every authentic beneficiary even in remote areas.
In a conversation with Business Northeast, Minister Comingone Ymbon talks about the new initiatives, the state’s collaboration with the UN and social auditing of PDS, among others. Excerpts:
BNE: In 2021, Meghalaya signed two MoUs with the UN for streamlining PDS. Can you tell us how is it being done?
CY: Only one MoU was signed with the United Nations – World Food Programme (UN-WFP) in 2021. It is to be noted that having such a well-respected organisation like WFP collaborating with the department would help the PDS become more robust and transparent.
In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly formulated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)… As part of such framework, the department is dealing with SDG Number-2, which is achieving ‘Zero Hunger’. With the technical assistance of WFP, the department is committed to achieving the SDG targets by using technology and know-how, so as to make PDS achieve efficiency.
The partnership is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of food-based safety nets, such as the Targeted PDS, improving Supply Chain Management and warehouse management and tracking the movement of foodgrains from the Food Corporation of India to the doorstep of the Fair Price Shops.
BNE: How has technology helped in tackling PDS leakages, which was a concern in the state?
CY: Technology has helped the department in many ways. With the data digitisation of districts, wholesalers, FPS dealers and beneficiaries, the state is able to implement supply chain management, whereby the monthly allocation of foodgrains is done online.
To ensure transparency, the data of NFSA beneficiaries is displayed on the portal so that any citizen can view whether her family is reflected under the NFSA coverage. Our website is www.megfcsca.gov.in.
BNE: What is the population coverage under TPDS? Has it been updated so far?
CY: The total number of beneficiaries under Priority Household (PHH) covered under NFSA 2013 is 18,54,155. The number of beneficiaries identified under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is 2,90,967. The total NFSA population covered is 21,45,122 beneficiaries. It is pertinent to note that the database is based on the SECC 2011.
BNE: The central budget allocation for PDS has been slashed by 32%. How has it affected Meghalaya?
CY: As the state government also has the responsibility to run the PDS, the question of PDS being affected does not arise. The department has various state schemes to strengthen the PDS operations in the state. For example, the e-PoS devices were procured from the State budget as it was felt that the department has to play a role in achieving efficiency and transparency in the PDS operations.
Another example is the end-to-end computerisation of the PDS scheme which is catering to the technology-driven initiatives of the department. However, the state appreciates the Government of India for assistance when it comes to payment of NFSA subsidy (75:25 cost-sharing ratio) and also other various central schemes that are implemented by the department.
BNE: Not much has been said about PDS in the budget. Is the state also planning to cut corners?
CY: Adverse media coverage is a major challenge to overcome, which masks the food security issues being addressed by the department. A vast administrative network is in place that consists of transport, warehouses, computers, vigilance committees, and a network of warehouses and public distribution outlets spread across the state exist for reaching out to the beneficiaries. Approximately 4,743 FPSs exist over the length and breadth of Meghalaya which supply PDS items to the beneficiaries. Thus, a vast distribution network is available for ensuring foodgrains reach up to the last mile.
The Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs is a crucial policy and regulatory body to provide food security to the people of Meghalaya and in particular to the poor. The National Food Security Act is one of the key welfare schemes of the government aimed at demonstrating its commitment to ensuring food for the poor (PHH /AAY) at highly subsidised rates, as well as food security for the entire state.
Multiple initiatives are being taken to ease the beneficiaries. There is utmost transparency in the working of the Department and all data is in the public domain.
BNE: Will the government consider social auditing of PDS as proposed by some civil society workers?
CY: The state government has notified the Program Implementation and Evaluation Department (PIED) as the Nodal Department to conduct the Social Audit, which is as per the provisions of Section 28 of the NFS Act. The Meghalaya Society for Social Audit and Transparency (MSSAT) has been mandated to undertake social audits for our department as well. The last social audit was conducted in November 2017 and the department is committed to ensuring that social audits are conducted in the near future.
BNE: When was the last enumeration done for ration cards as there are complaints that many are not getting ration cards? In this context, have ghost cards been completely eliminated in the state?
CY: The NFSA list is based on the SECC 2011 data. As you are aware that the Census exercise is undertaken once in 10 years but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the new census has been delayed.
The state had taken up with the Government of India to increase the allotment but as per the view of the Government of India, all states have to wait for the new socio-economic and caste census to be completed before finalising the new coverage.
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