The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has launched a National Transparency Portal for Public Distribution System. An official release issued today said that the portal has been developed with the objective of providing all PDS related information through a single platform in the public domain. It may be accessed at http://pdsportal.nic.in. The portal contains information relating to Fair Price Shops and ration cards attached to these shops. Information on FCI and State storage godowns with capacity utilization and data on Central Pool stocks is also published on the portal.

To ensure the portal has latest information about PDS operation, the Consumer Affairs Ministry has urged states and union territories to update the data on the portal through usem of PDS application software. AIR correspondent adds that the government covers about 18 crore beneficiaries under the PDS.