The Uttar Pradesh government announced a significant breakthrough in securing its Public Distribution System (PDS) on Friday, declaring that a comprehensive GPS-based tracking mechanism has successfully curtailed widespread theft, leakage, and irregularities in foodgrain supply.
Complete Digital Surveillance for Foodgrain Movement
A government spokesperson revealed that the movement of essential foodgrains from central depots to local fair price shops is now under complete digital surveillance. This initiative covers more than 5,000 vehicles responsible for this critical supply chain. The integration of a single-stage doorstep delivery system with GPS technology ensures that every single sack is meticulously monitored from start to finish.
"The single-stage doorstep delivery system and GPS tracking ensure that every single sack of foodgrain is monitored, preventing theft and black marketing," the official stated. This end-to-end visibility has plugged major loopholes that were previously exploited.
Real-Time Tracking from Depots to Shops
The state has installed GPS devices in all vehicles engaged in transporting foodgrains from Food Corporation of India (FCI) depots to the network of fair price shops. This allows authorities to track the entire transportation process in real-time, leaving no room for unauthorized diversions or delays.
The system's success in the general PDS has led to its expansion into procurement operations. The spokesperson confirmed that during the Kharif marketing season 2025-26, GPS tracking was made mandatory for paddy procurement as well.
Expanded Use in Procurement Season
For the paddy procurement cycle, the government installed GPS devices in 3,773 vehicles used for transporting paddy from procurement centres to rice mills across all districts of the state. Additionally, the tracking system was deployed for coarse grains.
Another 1,428 GPS-enabled vehicles were used specifically for transporting coarse grains like maize, sorghum, and millet. This wide-scale implementation underscores the government's commitment to bringing transparency to every leg of the food security infrastructure.
The adoption of this technology marks a pivotal shift towards a more accountable and efficient Public Distribution System in Uttar Pradesh, aiming to ensure that subsidized foodgrains reach their intended beneficiaries without any pilferage.
