Digitisation has helped check corruption, fix accountability in schemes: CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis (File photo)

Digitisation of ration cards has helped check rampant corruption in the Public Distribution System (PDS), resulting in the recovery of 38,000 metric tonnes of foodgrains. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said this Sunday.

“The state government’s digital initiative has helped to streamline the Public Distribution System where massive amount of foodgrains would be lifted through corrupt practices. Now, the online system has helped curb the corruption and provide the foodgrains to the deserving people,” he explained.
Interacting with people through his TV programme Me Mukhyamantri Boltoy, Fadnavis claimed that the state government’s digitisation drive had helped eradicate corruption in various core sectors and bring in greater accountability to the system.

The chief minister said, “At present, 2.5 lakh ration cards have been digitised. The Aadhaar linkage has helped identity and delete 10 lakh bogus ration card details which were in existence and operational. Through such fake cards, 38,000 metric tonnes of foodgrains would be lost.”

Citing developments in the industries department, he said, “The online process has led to minimising human interventions and manipulations.”
The hurdles which often caused delay processing the industrial proposals were multiple permissions. There were 41 nodal officers dealing with the proposals. “The online system has helped curtail the delays and also provide more systematic process, which is time bound. Apart from expediting the proposals, it has reduced the rates quoted in the tenders by almost 15 to 20 per cent,” said the CM.

Stating that education funds were grossly misused by institutions, Fadnavis said the MahaDBT apps had ensured the scholarship amount directly went to students’ accounts. He also spoke of the MahaVastu apps stating that all applications related to buildings could not be filed online through the umbrella portal.

Fadnavis claimed that land revenue records had been digitised upto 97 per cent, with work left to be completed only in the three districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Raigad. He said online services had also expedited caste validation certificates and helped in weeding out fake applicants.