Work with Centre on PDS computerisation: SC to states
Govt told to submit report on progress by March 12
The Supreme Court on Friday asked state governments to coordinate with the Centre in computerisation of the public distribution system (PDS) as it would help in reducing the diversion of foodgrains meant for the poor to open market.
A bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari and Dipak Misra appointed Secretary, Consumer Affairs and Food, in charge of the computerisation process and asked him to file a comprehensive report on the progress by March 12.
After going through the latest report submitted by the Justice D P Wadhwa committee, the court resented the absence of any coordination between the Centre and the state governments on the computerisation process.
“The diversion of food grains will get eliminated and reduced to large extent by computerization of the PDS. The government of India has taken massive operation. For effective implementation of the computerisation programme, coordination is absolutely imperative. From the report (of Wadhwa committee), it is evident that there is no coordination between the Central and state governments,” the bench said.
The court noted that the Wadhwa committee report, prepared following a visit to Satara district in Maharashtra on January 23, showed that the computerisation process was “slow and non-existent” as data entry operators were engaged just a day before and was preparing records without any verification.
During the hearing, senior counsel Colin Gonsalves submitted that all fake ration cards were getting digitalised, defeating the very purpose of the computerisation process.
The court was hearing a PIL seeking streamlining of PDS in the country. The petition filed by People’s Union for Civil Liberties alleged large-scale corruption and irregularities in the PDS mechanism.
