Food security (Assistance to State Government Rules) 2015
GS PAPER II: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
Context: Department of Food & Public Distribution notifies amendment in Food security (Assistance to State Government Rules) 2015.
Aim: To improve transparency and curb the leakages at ration shops at the time of weighing of foodgrains for beneficiaries. Amendment would encourage other States to generate savings through judicious operation of their ePoS devices
- Amendment incentivises States who have been using ePoS efficiently and encourages States to improve efficiency in epos operations and generate savings
- States who are operating their ePoS devices judiciously and are able to generate savings from the additional margin of Rs.17.00 per quintal can now utilise the savings for purchase, operations and maintenance of electronic weighing scales and their integration with the point of sale devices.
- This amendment is an attempt to take forward the reform through improving transparency of operations of the Targeted Public Distribution System under NFSA.
- While distribution through ePoS devices ensures that subsidised foodgrains are provided to the rightful beneficiary through biometric authentication, integration of ePoS devices with electronic weighing scales would ensure that the beneficiary is given the right quantity of foodgrains by the Fair Price Shop dealer as per his entitlement.
- National Food Security Act provides for reforms in the Targeted Public Distribution System through application of information and communication technology tools including end-to-end computerization to ensure transparent recording of transactions at all levels, and to prevent diversion and leveraging “Aadhaar” for unique identification, with biometric information of entitled beneficiaries for proper targeting of benefits under the Act.
Food security (Assistance to State Government Rules) 2015
- It was notified in August 2015, provides for additional margin to Fair Price Shop (FPS) Dealers for sale through electronic point of sale devices (ePoS) as an incentive to ensure transparent recording of transactions at all levels.
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