The Union Cabinet extended the SARTHAK-PDS scheme until March 2031 with a ₹25,530 crore outlay. By integrating financial assistance and SMART PDS, it leverages AI, ML, and Blockchain to modernize foodgrain distribution, ensure last-mile delivery, and minimize leakages.
Click to View MoreThe government removed 2.25 crore ineligible beneficiaries using Aadhaar-seeding and data analytics to curb leakage and improve targeting. The move supports fiscal prudence and Shanta Kumar Committee reforms but risks excluding deserving people, making strong grievance systems and an updated coverage cap essential to protect the right to food.
Click to View MoreHonest welfare is vital for true social justice in India. Corruption, leakages, and poor targeting weaken welfare schemes and harm the poor. India must ensure transparency through technology, social audits, and ethical governance so every welfare rupee upholds dignity and delivers genuine, equitable transformation.
Click to View MoreThe "hunger tipping point" refers to a critical, irreversible food system collapse caused by climate change, conflict, and economic shocks. India, a key global player in the fight against hunger, must leverage its institutional strengths to build resilient, sustainable, and farmer-centric food systems.
Click to View MorePublic Distribution System delivers subsidised food to more than 80 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act 2013. The government identifies critical challenges, including leakages, inclusion/exclusion errors, and storage issues. Recent reforms implement End-to-End Computerisation, One Nation One Ration Card, and Aadhaar seeding to boost transparency and accessibility.
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