DBT implementation for PDS Puducherry UT : Technological Convergence, issues  and its implementation – A case study

V. Gopi Swaminathan; Dr. Dev Ratna Shukla

Volume : VII, Issue : VIII, August - 2017

DBT implementation for PDS Puducherry UT : Technological Convergence, issues and its implementation – A case study

V. Gopi Swaminathan, Dr. Dev Ratna Shukla

Abstract :

The Direct benefit Transfer (DBT) system launched by Government of India to ensure that benefits go to individuals‘ bank accounts electronically, minimizing multiple layers involved in fund flow thereby reducing delay in payment, ensuring accurate targeting of the beneficiary and curbing pilferage and duplication. In Public Distribution System, the system has been implemented to beneficiaries identified under National Food Security Act, 2013 in Union Territories of Government of India for providing Food security. Puducherry UT, with 1.64 lakhs families has been operational since September 2015. Although the small size of the U.T., the geographical locations of the four regions among the three Southern States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh in India with three different spoken languages poses a real challenge for planners. Particularly, in Public distribution system, there are many challenges due to various issues in storage and transshipment points of these regions like theft en route, multiple handling, poor quality of gunny bags as well as the loss of moisture, insect–pest and disease infestation, spillage of grain from gunny bags etc. On the other hand, the banking industry has shown tremendous growth in volume and complexity during the last few decades. Particularly, the Government of India has an ambitious scheme called, Direct Benefit Transfer(DBT) by which transfer of crores of subsidies to the major population through electronic transfer of funds. The objective of this paper is to study the implementation of DBT scheme in Puducherry UT Public distribution System with the technological convergence. The issues and its implementation are also included in the paper.