(FE)
Food ministry is working on a pilot to emulate the direct cooking gas subsidy transfer scheme model for public distribution system (PDS) of subsidised foodgrains.
The beneficiaries will get the subsidy amount in advance in their bank accounts and they will have to buy the foodgrains from any ration shop, which has got the electronic point of sale (e-PoS) devices. The food ministry recently sent three trainee IAS officers (assistants) to assess the ground situation in Ranchi where a pilot is likely to be rolled out.
This initiative will ensure zero leakage of the subsidy and foodgrain as well. A government source said the beneficiaries’ failure to buy the foodgrains from the e-PoS enabled ration shop would result in no transfer of the subsidy for the next month. This will also ensure that beneficiaries under National Food Security Act don’t use the subsidy amount for anything else.
