Ludhiana, April 30 -- In a bid to enhance transparency and check pilferage in the foodgrain supply chain, the Centre has launched a pilot project to affix QR (quick response) codes on wheat bags. The initiative, being tested in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, allows for real-time tracking of stocks from procurement centres to government godowns and distribution points. The primary objective is to tackle recycling scams-a long-standing issue where middlemen buy cheap PDS (ration) wheat from beneficiaries and resell it to the government at the higher minimum support price (MSP). By creating a unique digital identity for each bag, the system aims to prevent the same grain from being resold into the procurement cycle. To ensure authenticity, the dedicated mobile application used for scanning is GPS-enabled, logging the exact location and timestamp of every entry to prevent data manipulation. Under the decentralised procurement system, select gunny bags procured at mandis (grain markets) through arhtiyas (commission agents) are tagged at the point of despatch. Each code contains critical data, including the mandi of origin and lot identification. While officials claim internet connectivity at storage points is sufficient to prevent disruptions, the logistics of the rollout face hurdles. The arhtiya community has already flagged resistance. "We have clearly told the state government that we will not put QR codes on the bags," said Vijay Kalra, president of the Arhtiya Association of Punjab. "In a recent meeting with chief minister Bhagwant Mann, we refused as it unnecessarily increases our workload without compensation. These tags are the responsibility of the procurement agencies, not us." Estimates suggest that scanning will take more than twice the time compared to the usual manual process, potentially slowing down truck movement during peak season. The physical durability of the tags remains a concern given the rough handling, including the use of iron hooks (kundis) and dragging, typical in grain markets. Addressing concerns over damaged or unscannable codes, officials clarified that godown in-charges cannot reject an entire consignment. Instead, bags with compromised codes will be stored in a separate designated area for further verification. While the per-bag cost of the tagging remains undisclosed during this pilot phase, the department is monitoring whether the system can successfully reduce malpractices before considering a nationwide rollout in the next procurement cycle....