Revolutionizing India’s food subsidy framework, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the country’s first Central Bank Digital Currency-enabled Public Distribution System this Sunday at Gandhinagar’s Mahatma Mandir.
This Gujarat government flagship, powered by Punjab National Bank’s RBI-approved CBDC infrastructure, issues item-specific digital tokens to beneficiaries’ e-wallets, detailing goods, quantities, and pricing for transparent redemptions.
Pilot implementation covers 26,333 households across Sabarmati zone in Ahmedabad, plus Surat, Anand, and Valsad districts. Verification is user-friendly: QR codes for Android/iOS devices, Aadhaar-linked OTPs for feature phones.
The ceremony will host CM Bhupendra Patel, Food Minister Prahlad Joshi, and Dy CM Harsh Sanghvi. In tandem, NFSA beneficiaries gain access to standardized, sealed 1-kg tuvar and chana dal packs at distribution centers.
A tech marvel, the 24/7 ‘Annapurti Grain ATM’ in Sabarmati delivers up to 25 kg of grains in 35 seconds. Consumer initiatives include MoUs with CARE Ratings and CERC for a pioneering Accountability Index and rapid out-of-court dispute settlement.
Malnutrition combat intensifies via ‘Garima Poshan – Suposhit Garudeshwar Taluka’, channeling Rs 1.65 crore in CSR funds for model anganwadis and health programs targeting girls and mothers in Narmada’s Garudeshwar.
This launch positions Gujarat at the forefront of digital PDS transformation, promising leak-proof subsidies and nutrition equity for the masses.