- (1.) In pursuance to the directions of this Court, Joint Secretary, Government of India has filed an affidavit on 18th April, 2011 in which it is indicated that the Government is committed to computerisation of entire Public Distribution System (for short 'P.D.S.') and to end computerisation of the operations under P.D.S. is being undertaken in order to make the system transparent and minimise leakages or diversion so that the intended benefits of subsidized food grains actually reach the targeted population. This would inter alia involve: I) Computerisation of Supply Chain Management through a Common Application Software (CAS) starting from the allocation of food grains made under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) to States/UTs to the stocks of food grains moved out of FCI Depots to intermediary warehouses in the respective States/UTs and then to the Fair Price Shops (FPS); II) Computerisation of the operations at FPS level, all transactions at FPS level, up to date position of availability of stocks at all FPSs details of lifting of good grains and other PDS items by beneficiaries, etc. III) Computerisation of database of beneficiaries under TPDS and issue of smart cards in place of existing ration cards to beneficiaries after proper identification.
(2.) This is intended to reduce to a large extent the existing errors of inclusion and exclusion, bogus ration cards, etc.
(3.) Thereafter another affidavit has been filed by the Joint Secretary, Government of India on 06.05.2011. In this affidavit it is mentioned that a High Powered Committee under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) D.P. Wadhwa, Chairman, Central Vigilance Committee vide order dated 3.5.2011 to expedite the process of computerisation of P.D.S. The Office Memorandum dated 3.5.2011 indicated the position and terms of reference of the H.P.C. During the hearing of 20th April, 2011 this Court directed learned Additional Solicitor General to take instructions to allocate additional food grains to eradicate or at least to reduce the problem of malnutrition to a large extent.;