Gandhinagar: Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah on Sunday rolled out India’s 1st Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) based public distribution system at an event in Gandhinagar.Speaking at the event, during which a ‘Grain ATM’ was also inaugurated, Shah said both initiatives would ensure complete transparency and eliminate corruption in foodgrain distribution. He expressed confidence that the CBDC-based system would be implemented across all states in the coming years, strengthening food security and safeguarding the rights of the poor.
The system introduces subsidy transfers through the RBI-authorized CBDC platform. The system will provide beneficiaries with digital tokens in their wallets containing details of the commodity, the quantity, and the price. A pilot project for the new system was launched in Gujarat. Shah said that in several remote and aspirational districts, including in the Northeast, 5kg of foodgrains per person often did not reach beneficiaries. “People in those regions did not even know that PM Modi was sending 5kg of foodgrains from Delhi for them. Somewhere in the system, the grains were siphoned off.” Shah said, “Now no one will be able to interfere. Through a fully digital system, every beneficiary will get their rightful share.” Through ‘Annapurti’ Grain ATMs, beneficiaries in Gujarat will receive 1kg packets of toor dal, chana, salt and sugar 24X7. Shah said that Congress spoke of “garibi hatao” but failed to take concrete steps to eradicate poverty.
