The food ministry has estimated the cost of Smart PDS scheme- launched to create an integrated national-level dashboard for monitoring of end-to-end operations of public distribution system (PD

To create an integrated national-level dashboard for monitoring of end-to-end operations of public distribution system (PDS) through the usage of cutting-edge technologies, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution will launch a scheme for the modernization of PDS — Smart PDS — the next fiscal year.     Through the application of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, information communication technology (ICT) tools will be used as part of Smart PDS to monitor functions from procurement of grains from the farmers across states till the distribution to the 800 million beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA).    The food ministry has estimated the cost of Smart PDS scheme to be around 350 crore to be shared with states and will be implemented in three years — 2023-24 to 2025-26.