India, May 28 -- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the continuation of the "Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS" (SARTHAK PDS) as an umbrella scheme during the 16th Finance Commission award period, with a Central outlay of Rs 25,530 crore.

The approval includes revised norms for Central assistance to States and Union Territories to meet expenditure on intra-state movement and handling of foodgrains and Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers' margins, while retaining the existing funding pattern.

The SARTHAK-PDS scheme integrates two existing programmes - "Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of foodgrains and F...