TMI Blog2011 (9) TMI 1215X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Dr Manish Singhvi, Additional Advocate General (Rajasthan); A, Mariarputham, Advocate General, R. Sundaravardhan and Pramod Swaroop, Senior Advocates [Vishnu B. Saharya (for M/s Saharya Co.), Jana Kalyan Das, Ranjan Mukherjee, S.C Ghosh, Ms Hemantika Wahi, Ms Suveni Banerjee, D.K Goswami, Shirish Kr. Mishra, Pragyan P. Sharma, Siddhartha Lodha, (for P.V Yogeswaran), Ms Indra Sawhney, Devanshu Kr. Devesh, Irshad Ahmad, Milind Kumar, Ms Aruna Mathur, Avneesh Arputham, Yusuf Khan (for M/s Arputham Aruna Co.), Riku Sarma, Navnit Kumar (for M/s Corporate Law Group), Ms Rachana Srivastava, Ranchi Daga, Krutin Joshi, Manoj Saxena, Mayank Nigam, T.V George, Ms Kamini Jaiswal, Shish Pal Laler, Kh. Nobin Singh, Sapam Biswajit Meitei, Ranjan Mukhe ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... , Suresh Chandra Tripathy and Navin R. Nath, Advocates] for the DDA. Judgments 1. The High-Powered Committee headed by Justice D.P Wadhwa, Retired Judge of this Court, has submitted a preliminary report on the computerisation of public distribution system. In the recommendations of the report it is mentioned that computerisation of PDS consists of primarily three components i.e creating an updating beneficiary database, stock management from FCI till FPS and sale of commodities at fair price shops. In order to make PDS effective it is important that the delivery and management system is transparent. The citizen participation for social audit can play a crucial role in ensuring effectiveness of the system. 2. In order to implemen ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... nt of India shall ensure that the State Governments prepare a time-bound action plan for completing the process of computerisation. This action plan will be implemented keeping the timelines in mind and will be regularly submitted before the Hon'ble Supreme Court. 4. The States/UTs should take up end-to-end computerisation of TPDS as a top priority and should appoint a dedicated nodal officer to monitor the projects related to TPDS computerisation. 5. The States/UTs may be encouraged to include the PDS related KYR+ field in the data collection exercise being undertaken by various Registrars across the country as part of the UID (Aadhaar) enrolment. 6. Digitisation of beneficiary data and a centralised database with clear proces ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the end objectives of completing the computerisation. (A note on the computerisation of PDS in the State of Gujarat is annexed hereto as Annexure III.) 10. As the process of end-to-end computerisation is expected to be a sizable exercise, to complete it in a mission mode, a separate and dedicated institutional mechanism is to be incorporated to look after the progress of computerisation of PDS. This institution must have active participation of all stake-holders including the State Governments. As PDS is implemented by the State by the State Governments and supported by the Government of India, role of the State Government in this body will be helpful in getting required support from the State Governments. 11. Information related to ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Government will ensure that the institution has sufficient infrastructure and finances to complete the computerisation in a time-bound manner. 15. While this complete process is expected to take some time, in the meantime, following action may immediately be taken: (a) The State Governments will ensure doorstep delivery of foodgrain for the ration shops in a time-bound manner and shall ensure that information related to movement and availability of foodgrain is available in public domain. (b) A PDS public information portal may be made which will have information related to complete public distribution system. In addition to other information, it should also have the information of date and quantity of foodgrain supplied to the fa ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ecommendations of the High-Powered Committee on computerisation with the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Additional Solicitor General of India. The Government of India has agreed in principle to implement these recommendations as expeditiously as possible. We request Mr Parasaran, learned Additional Solicitor General to ensure that the process of computerisation is completed as expeditiously as possible. He may help in coordinating with the High-Powered Committee and other authorities concerned and individuals. 4. We direct the Chief Secretaries of various States to indicate, within two weeks, as to how much additional foodgrains are required for the poorest districts in their States and allocation of foodgrains would ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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