Agartala: The Tripura government embarked on a plan to replace paper-made ration books with smart cards for converting the entire public distribution system (PDS) to digital mode to bring more transparency to the system, said Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Thursday.
Tripura has introduced biometric-based PDS disbursement for the first time in 2018 when the BJP came to power, and during digitization, as many as 62,173 fake ration cards were detected in the possession of around 2.81 lakh people who had been withdrawing the PDS materials for a long time.
The state government has decided to distribute 9.59 lakh smart cards to replace the paper-made ration book, transform 765 ‘model’ ration shops, and set up of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Corporation under the department to make the system commercially feasible.
Besides, ration dealers and their family members would be brought under the coverage of health insurance, he said.
Mitra will also be introduced for delivering rations to the doorsteps of senior citizens,” Chowdhury said, adding that the government is contemplating providing mustard oil at subsidised rates through fair price shops in addition to the items enlisted, which include rice, sugar, Masoor dal, flour, and kerosene oil.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has significantly focused on promoting millets, and hence, the department will also consider providing millets in the PDS.
The department will also extend assistance of Rs 10,000 to each of the fair price shops for a new look.
