Minister says Food Security Act is a tool for social justice, as government links ration shops to real-time tracking and SMS alerts
Madhya Pradesh Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Govind Singh Rajput has said the National Food Security Act is not just a scheme for distributing grain, but a constitutional guarantee that gives poor and needy families the right to live with dignity.
He said the state government, working under the “Garib Kalyan” vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, is making sure no eligible family in Madhya Pradesh is denied its right to food grain or goes to bed hungry.
Rajput was speaking at a two-day national workshop on “National Food Security Act 2013: Progress, Challenges and Future Direction,” held at Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre in Bhopal. The event was jointly organised by the State Food Commission and the central NITI Aayog.
Consumers get SMS updates as ration reaches shops
Rajput said every stage of ration movement, from the distribution centre to the fair price shop and finally to the consumer, is now tracked and shared through SMS on registered mobile numbers. He said the government’s aim is not just to supply ration, but to deliver it to every eligible beneficiary on time, with full transparency and accountability.
He said Madhya Pradesh has widely reformed its public distribution system, making it more modern, transparent and people-focused. Fair price shops have been connected to modern technology, including authentication through POS machines, e-KYC, digital ration distribution, online monitoring and real-time tracking of the entire supply chain. This has curbed irregularities and strengthened public trust in the system, he said.
Rajput said the dream of a developed Madhya Pradesh can only come true when every citizen’s right to food, nutrition and social security is fully guaranteed, and the state government is working continuously towards that goal.
Government and society must work together, says minister
Rajput called on elected representatives, officials, public service organisations and citizens to play an active role in ensuring every eligible beneficiary gets their rightful share. He said only joint efforts by the government and society can build a hunger-free, malnutrition-free, self-reliant and developed Madhya Pradesh.
He added that elderly and disabled consumers can now nominate someone else to collect their ration on their behalf. Under a new initiative called “Aapka Ration-Aapke Dwar” (Your Ration at Your Doorstep), ration vehicles now travel directly to villages to deliver food grain to consumers.
Team to study food schemes in other states
Rajput said a team of officials will be sent to other states to study their food distribution schemes and submit a report. He said useful suggestions from the workshop will also be considered and implemented.
Shriman Shukla, Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh State Food Commission, explained the objectives of the workshop.
The event was attended by noted economist and former NITI Aayog member Prof Ramesh Chand, State Food Commission chairman Prof Virendra Kumar Malhotra, Food Commissioner Bhaskar Lakshakar, Dr Yogesh Suri, and chairpersons and member secretaries of food commissions from various states, along with officials from the Food Department.
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