India, May 27 -- Union cabinet on Wednesday approved the Rs.25,530 crore extension of the Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS [public distribution system] (Sarthak-PDS) for five years to use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify beneficiaries in real time, track food grain movement, and handle citizen complaints on WhatsApp and phone calls.

The scheme now extends from April 2026 to March 2031 and aims to modernize country's PDS, which distributes subsidised food grains through ration shops.

As part of the upgrade, the government plans to introduce three AI-enabled systems under SMART PDS Phase 2, with extended support from the India AI Mission under the IT ministry.

Union minister Ash...