Augmenting Use of Technology in Implementation of NFSA-2013
Documenting Evidence From Assam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55763/ippr.2024.05.04.004Abstract
Technology has the potential to help governments live up to their ambitions for public policy and delivery. To increase the efficiency of the Public Distribution System (PDS), the Government of India has launched multiple Information and Communication Technology (ICT) intervention projects under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. The article looks at the effectiveness of Aadhar Seeding, Biometric Authentication Systems, Fair Price Shop (FPS) Automation, Integrated Management of Public Distribution Systems (IMPDS), Mobile Applications (Mera Ration App), and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)- in enhancing transparency, accuracy, and accountability of PDS under NFSA, 2013 in the delivery of subsidized food grains in Assam. The study relies on secondary data. The augmentation of technology has the potential to increase the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the NFSA implementation and address the issue of food security. The authors suggest that ensuring the feasibility of FPSs, creating dashboards for data and reports for NFSA stakeholders, conducting social audits, and developing efficient monitoring and evaluation frameworks within the NFSA can greatly improve the efficiency of the PDS in Assam.
Keywords:
NFSA-2013, Public Distribution System, Assam, Technology, Development, Food SecurityDownloads
References
Arora, S., Tawheed, N., and Awasthi, V. "Challenges of Digital Transformation and Indian Public Distribution System: A Systemic Review, Pitfalls of Digital Transformation in the Indian Public Distribution System." Journal of Hunan University 48, no. 6 (2021).
Ashraf, T. "Information Technology and Public Policy: A Socio-Human Profile of Indian Digital Revolution." The International Information & Library Review 36, no. 4 (2004): 309-318. https://doi.org/10.1080/10572317.2004.10762650.
Barman, S., Hazarika, R., and Choudhury, B. "Food Security and Public Distribution System in Assam: An Analysis of the Coverage and Leakage Issues." International Journal of Scientific Research and Management 6, no. 10 (2018): 667-674.
Baruah, M., and Mahanta, R. "Food Security and Its Determinants in Assam, India." Journal of International Academic Research for Multidisciplinary 7, no. 3 (2019): 1-14.
Bezbaruah, M. P., and Baruah, S. "Food Security Status and Its Determinants among the Households in Assam." Journal of Agrometeorology 22, no. 1 (2020): 105-110.
Bhattacharya, S., Falcao, V. L., and Puri, R. "The Public Distribution System in India: Policy Evolution and Program Delivery Trends." The World Bank, USA, 2017.
Biswal, A. K., and Jenamani, M. "Leveraging ICT for Food Security: An Analysis in the Context of PDS in India." In Annual Convention of the Computer Society of India, 376-390, January 2018.
Chatterjee, M. "An Improved PDS in a ‘Reviving’ State: Food Security in Koraput, Odisha." Economic & Political Weekly 49, no. 45 (2014): 49–52.
Chhabra, V., Rajan, P., and Chopra, S. "User Acceptance of New Technology in Mandatory Adoption Scenario for Food Distribution in India." International Journal on Food System Dynamics 11, no. 2 (2020): 153-170.
Chigona, W., and Licker, P. "Using Diffusion of Innovations Framework to Explain Communal Computing Facilities Adoption among the Urban Poor." Information Technologies & International Development 4, no. 3 (2008): 57–73.
Das, G. K. "Performance Evaluation of Targeted Public Distribution System in Rural Assam." Assam Economic Review (2017): 10.
Deaton, A., and Dreze, J. "Food and Nutrition in India: Facts and Interpretations." Economic and Political Weekly 44, no. 7 (2009): 42-65.
Department of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. "Government of India: Status, State Ranking Index for NFSA Creating Resilient Food Systems to Optimize the Delivery of Benefits." 2022.
Department of Food & Public Distribution. “Implementation of NFSA”. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.” https://dfpd.gov.in/Home/ContentManagement?Url=implementation_of_nfsa.html&ManuId=3&language=1. 2024.
Dutta, T., and Barman, P. "Public Distribution System and Food Security in Assam: A Review." International Journal of Current Research 10, no. 6 (2018): 69718-69722.
Government of India (GOI). "Concurrent Evaluation of Implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 in the State of Assam." Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Department of Food & Public Distribution, 2021.
Government of India. "Concurrent Evaluation of Implementation of NFSA-2013 in Bongaigaon and Barpeta Districts of Assam." Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Department of Food & Public Distribution, 2023. https://nfsa.gov.in/portal/Concurrent_Evaluation
Gulati, A., and Saini, S. "Leakages from Public Distribution System (PDS) and the Way Forward." Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), Working Paper, No. 294, New Delhi, 2015.
Food, Public Distribution, and Consumer Affairs. “End-to-end computerization”. Government of Assam. 2024 https://fcsca.assam.gov.in/portlets/end-to-end-computerization
Kannan, K. P., and Raveendran, G. "PDS Reform in Kerala: Towards an Inclusive Food Security System." Economic and Political Weekly 50, no. 36 (2015): 62-70.
Karhad, B. D. "Food Security in India: Issues and Measures." Indian Journal for Applied Research 4, no. 4 (2014).
Khera, R. "Revival of the Public Distribution System: Evidence and Explanations." Economic and Political Weekly 46, no. 51 (2011): 13-15.
Kumar, S., Garg, A., and Singh, R. "Digital Governance and Its Impact on Public Distribution System: A Case Study of Tamil Nadu, India." International Journal of Information Management 53 (2020): 102097.
Mishra, M.K. "Odisha Successfully Deployed Tech-led 'Crop Analytics' at Ground Level." Retrieved from Economic Times Government, 2022. https://government.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/technology/odisha-successfully-deployed-tech-led-crop-analytics-for-ground-level-agri-reforms-it-secretary-mk-mishra/92956042.
Mishra, R. K., Nori, U., and Krishna, P. S. J. "National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013: Viability of Public Distribution System in Telangana State, India." Journal of Economic Policy & Research 17, no. 1 (2022): 35-49.
Moon, M. J. "Korean e-Government in a Social Media Environment, Prospect, and Challenges." In The Routledge Handbook of Global Public Policy and Administration, Routledge, 2017.
National Food Security Act (NFSA) Portal. "Ration Card State Portals." Retrieved from https://nfsa.gov.in/portal/ration_card_state_portals_aa, 2023.
National Food Security Act (NFSA). “DBT Dashboard. National Food Security Act.” Retrieved from https://nfsa.gov.in/public/nfsadashboard/PublicDBTDashboard.aspx, 2024.
North East Today. "Assam Becomes 36th State to Successfully Implement 'One Nation One Ration Card' Scheme." June 21, 2022.
Press Information Bureau (PIB). “Over 77 Crore Portable Transactions Were Recorded in the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme (ONORC)”. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, 2021. Retrieved from https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1847386.
Press Information Bureau. End-to-end computerization of TPDS. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. 2017, March 28. https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=160051
Puri, R. "India’s National Food Security Act (NFSA): Early Experiences." LANSA Working Paper Series - GOV.UK, No. 4, 2017. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5964831e40f0b60a44000154/NFSA-LWP.pdf.
Rahman, A., and N. Zaman. "A Study on the Digital Literacy of People in Rural Assam, India." International Journal of Humanities and Social Science 8, no. 11 (2018): 118-126.
Saikia, N., Barman, P., and Mahanta, C. "Impact of Climate Change on Food Security in Assam." International Journal of Advanced Research 4, no. 6 (2016): 2422-2433.
Singh, S. K., Jenamani, M., Dasgupta, D., and Das, S. "A Conceptual Model for the Indian Public Distribution System Using Consortium Blockchain with On-chain and Off-chain Trusted Data." Information Technology for Development (2020): 1-25.
Subramanian, R. "India and Information Technology: A Historical & Critical Perspective." Journal of Global Information Technology Management 9, no. 4 (2006): 28-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/1097198X.2006.10856431.
Sentinel Assam. (2024). Technology use in PDS reforms. The Sentinel Assam. Retrieved August 2, 2024, from https://www.sentinelassam.com/more-news/editorial/technology-use-in-pds-reforms
Tanksale, A., and Jha, J. "Implementing National Food Security Act in India: Issues and Challenges." British Food Journal 117, no. 4 (2015): 1315–1335.
Weerakkody, V. E., Haddadeh, R. Al, Sobhi, F., Shareef, M. A., and Dwivedi, Y. K. "Examining the Influence of Intermediaries in Facilitating e-Government Adoption: An Empirical Investigation." International Journal of Information Management 33 (2013): 716-725.
World Bank. Assam Inclusive and Livable Cities Development Project: Resettlement Policy Framework. 2018.
