Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri Danve Raosaheb Dadarao has informed that To sustain the reforms brought in by scheme on ‘End to End Computerization of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Operations’ the Department of Food & Public Distribution has launched a new scheme namely “Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS)” for implementation during 2018-19 and 2019-20. The main objective of the scheme is to introduce nation-wide portability of ration card holders under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), to lift their entitlement foodgrains from any FPS in the country without the need to obtain a new ration card, by integrating the existing PDS systems/portals of States/UTs with the Central systems/portals, etc. The national portability under ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ system shall be applicable only to the ration card holders under NFSA.
Under IM-PDS scheme, there is no requirement to change the functioning of existing PDS systems/operations of the States/UTs.
So far, 20 States/UTs have completed the installation of electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices in all FPSs. This scheme is planned to commence in phased manner in States/UTs preferably in States/UTs having ePoS devices functioning properly in FPSs.