| 4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
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This is a very important aspect of Solution development. Present TPDS suffers from bogus and duplicate ration cards which have crippling effect on the functioning of the system. Therefore, top priority should be assigned to the cleaning of card holders' data base. For this purpose, the State government evolved an entirely new format and asked all existing card holders to fill up the same giving their full details including present identities such as EPIC no., Driving License no., LPG connection no., BPL no. etc. Basic idea is that any duplicate or bogus card holder cannot have multiple of all the identities provided by different government organizations at various points of time. Taking FPS as a unit, once all existing card holders fill up the prescribed application form, the data entry work is undertaken. After completion of the entry of the application form, card holder's identity details are verified against the existing data bases maintained in the government system. In case there is identity mismatch or missing data in the government data bases, local officials take up physical verification of card holder's family. Subsequently, prior to the issue of bar coded ration card in lieu of existing ration card, photo and biometric detail(s) of at least one adult member of the card holder's family is captured at FPS or Village Panchayat location. Effectively, bio-metric identity along with bar-coded ration card becomes authentication key of the card holder's identity. Also, card holder's card details are cross-linked with the government data bases which is protection against misuse of the same in future.
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| 5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
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State Government, Food & Civil Supply Department (FCS&CAD), Block Level Officers, Fair Price Shopkeepers & Ration Card Holders are the main stakeholders for the implementation of TPDS in the State. Processes of different calculation of permit have become simple and smooth. For this purpose, FCS&CAD subject to the directions of the Government of India, formulates policies and implementation guidelines in the State. Since, TPDS is an ongoing scheme; therefore, any reform intervention has to be such that there is continuity in the scheme implementation. Further, TPDS being a mass based scheme, its reform cannot succeed without necessary political will and administrative/ financial support of the Government. To provide the guidelines to stake holder more than two dozen Government Resolutions have been issued during last two years.
NIC, Gujarat Unit under the overall charge of Shri Rajnish Mahajan, SIO & D.D.G. and his team has been actively involved in the development of TPDS software application along with management of hardware, networking aspects. Based upon users’ feedback, NIC has been carrying out changes in the software. Implementation of such a gigantic State-wide Project has been possible through regular online monitoring of various tasks coupled with time bound targets and reviews.
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| 6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
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As is well known, the PDS functioning suffers from powerful vested interests. Implementation of the Project has led to reduction in leakages/diversion while making the supply machinery more accountable. Through appropriate risk and reward structure for the stake-holders coupled with political/administrative will and firmness, the State Government has been able to overcome resistance to the implementation process and ensure their participation, as shown below;
• Door to Door survey and Digitization of beneficiary data and to capture biometrics of ration card holders.
• Establishing the identity of beneficiary.
• Food coupons from e-Gram(CSC) centres.
• Transaction capturing at FPS level by providing hand held terminal (HHT) to FPS dealer. (Proposed)
• Incentives to FPS dealer on each commodity transaction.
• Door step delivery of food grains to the FPS dealer.
• SMS alerts to VVC, FPS dealer and registered beneficiaries.
• Biometric authentication by decision makers at Taluka (Village) level.
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| 7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
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In the 1st Phase of Project implementation (during 2010) existing card holders were asked to submit application in the prescribed Form-1 along with their Elector’ Photo Identity Card (EPIC) details. Thereafter, these application forms were digitized and about 16 lakh Ration Cards have been discontinued/cancelled (approximately12% of the total) during 2011 and overall distribution efficiency of essential commodities has gone up by about 10%. Thereafter, in the 2nd Phase in 225 Pilot FPS areas (@ one FPS per Taluka), along with capturing of biometric details Bar-coded ration cards have been distributed to all the beneficiaries who have applied in Form No.1 and were available in the village(s) to provide their biometric details. This has led to further reduction in the number of card holders by about 11%. As a result, there have been savings in the quantum essential commodities supplied to these 225 FPS dealers.
In the final Phase, using online bio-metric authentication process the beneficiary card holders would avail Food Coupons from the E-GRAM/ i-coupon outlets / (Common Service Center) and hand over these commodity-wise coupons to the FPS dealers. In the subsequent month supply of essential commodities to FPS dealers would be linked to the Food Coupons and hopefully there would be further savings.
(i) As against 1.25 Crs Ration cards in the beginning of 2010 there are only 1.09 Cr eligible Ration Cards as on 1st Dec 2013.
(ii) With digitization of ration card data base, centralized processing of FPS-Area wise allocation is completed on the last day of the previous month while there is on-line monitoring of FPS-wise issue of Permits and these are issued to the FPS dealers in the first week of the month.
(iii) Food Coupon linked compensation has resulted in additional income to the FPS dealers where food coupons are operational.
(iv) Issue of Delivery Challans from State Civil Supplies Godown against the FPS Area permit
(v) Transport Pass System while lifting commodities from FCI godown to State Civil Supplies Godown
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| 8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
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Regular review meeting held at State & District Level to monitor the progress
Evaluation of Pilot phase of 225 FPS has been carried out by State Government and Evaluation for full implementation has been planned at later stage.
Various real time reports are available online to the Senior Management officers.
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| 9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
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Matching Electoral Roll Data (EPIC) of all adult members of the family is a time consuming task.
Distribution of Bar Coded Ration Cards along with capturing of Bio-metric and Photographic details of at least one member of more than 1 Cr Card Holder families would also be an elaborate exercise.
Availability of operationally viable E-Gram/ Cyber Café within reasonable distance of the habitation.
Ensuring FPS viability as diversion/ leakage is brought under control.
Door step delivery is operational
Additional payment linked to bar coded commodity coupon (per transaction) to FPS dealers has been approved.
Enhance Commission
Passive attitude of Civil Supply staff as their discretion is minimized and accountability has gone up.
Earlier the exercise was being carried out by Online. Looking to the constraint, various private agencies have been engaged to capture biometric data and distribution of cards.
This has overcome by encouraging Shopkeepers themselves to procure a computer/ HHT & Biometric device along with internet connection (Landline/Broadband/Mobile Connectivity). It is also under consideration to permit the operation of this device offline & collect the electronic data of transactions on monthly basis.
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