Blockchain-Based Public Distribution System

The Indian government manages the Public Distribution System (PDS) to provide the ration among the poorest sections of the society. Currently, this system is facing numerous problems such as poor supply chain management, corruption, and non-transparency. The various reports bring to notice that many times ration is diverted, illegally sold, or provided to ineligible beneficiaries. As a result, millions of entitled individuals do not receive their rations. The existing PDS system involves a complicated network of intermediates such as suppliers, dealers, fair-price shops, and the citizens. This intricate system makes it challenging to monitor the distribution of ration from fair-price shops to the recipients, which creates opportunities for fraud. Therefore, a more efficient and transparent system is necessary to ensure the proper distribution of ration to intended beneficiaries. In this paper, we have discussed the use of blockchain technology to provide a transparent, decentralized, and tamper-proof solution for managing the public distribution system effectively.