The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26 May 2026 approved the SARTHAK-PDS umbrella scheme (Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS) with a central outlay of Rs 25,530 crore for five years from April 2026 to March 2031. The scheme integrates two existing initiatives: "Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of foodgrains and FPS dealers' margin under NFSA" and the "Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART PDS)". SARTHAK-PDS seeks to modernise and intelligently optimise PDS operations through advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Blockchain. The scheme will support the government's legal and social commitment under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to provide subsidised foodgrains to nearly 81.35 crore beneficiaries across India. Key features include digitisation of the entire supply chain from procurement to last-mile delivery, biometric and Aadhaar-based authentication at fair price shops, real-time stock tracking through ePoS devices, integration with One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), and AI-enabled fraud detection. The scheme also strengthens FPS dealer commission structures, supports automation of weighing scales, and provides for grievance redressal mechanisms. SARTHAK-PDS represents the most significant modernisation push for India's public distribution system since the enactment of NFSA in 2013 and is expected to significantly reduce leakages and improve food security delivery.