Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under Ministry of Consumer Afffairs, Food and Public Distribution entered into a model MoU with CSC e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC) to increase the business opportunities and income of Fair Price Shops by way of delivery of CSC services through interested Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers. The MoU was signed by Smt. Jyotsna Gupta, Deputy Secretary (PD) and Shri. SarthikSachdeva, Vice President, CSC, in the presence of Shri. Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution and Shri. Dinesh Kumar Tyagi, Managing Director, CSC.

For enabling FPSs to work as a CSC Service Centre, CSC has been advised to identify feasible activities like Utility Bill payments, PAN Application, Passport Application, Election Commission Services etc. to facilitate the consumer and simultaneously provide additional income to the FPSs. CSC will tie up with individual State Government for signing up of bilateral MoUsfor providing interested FPS dealers access to Digital Seva Portal (DSP) for delivery of CSC services. CSC has committed to undertake sharing of technical know-how and capacity building.

All State Governments have been advised to explore the possibility of increasing income and business opportunities of Fair Price Shop by way of allowing them delivery of CSC Services after due diligence.

In addition, to improve ease and convenience for consumers, ration card services provided by States/UTs such as application for new cards, updating existing ration card, Aadhaar seeding request, status check of ration availability and grievance registration may be explored by States through CSCs as an additional option. This is at the discretion of the State Government who will ensure due diligence regarding data safety, adherence to statutory provision and other relevant guidelines

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DJN/NS