Food Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan said that the Centre is working on the portability of the food grains entitlement under the PDS and the eligible beneficiaries can get their quota of grains from any ration shops, reports from PTI.

He was addressing the first meeting of food commission chairmen from states/ union territories; the minister said that the "center is working on the portability of PDS entitlements and this will be progressively extended."

He also added that once the portability of PDS (Public Distribution System) is implemented, the beneficiaries will be free to receive their entitlements form any ration shops without being bound to a particular shop.

This kind of system is already underway in few states in India, like Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Gujarat, and Delhi, an official statement said.

Under the food security law, the government is providing highly subsidized food grains to more than 80 crore people in the country. It supplies five kgs of wheat and rice per month at Rs 2 or Rs 3 per kilogram.

The minister said that 82 percent ration cards had been linked to Aadhaar and 2.95 lakh PoS (point of sales) machines have been installed at ration shops in the country, to streamline the rationing process and stop pilferage.

About 2.75 crores fake, duplicate and illegal ration cards have been deleted, so far. It has resulted in the annualized better targeting of food subsidy amounting to Rs 17,500 crore per year.

Paswan said these funds would be utilized for the benefit of providing subsidies to new people.

It was the first National level meeting between the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Chairmen of State/UTs Food Commission after its inception.

Paswan suggested that the national/state level meeting of states/UTs Food Commission should be held every three months.