Gandhinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the country’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Public Distribution System (PDS) at Mahatma Mandir on Sunday, February 15, 2026. The initiative will be launched along with several public welfare programmes aimed at making the state’s Public Distribution System fully digital and transparent.

Other initiatives to be unveiled include a 1-kg sealed pulses distribution scheme, the ‘Suposhit Garudeshwar Taluka’ nutrition campaign, and the Annapurti Grain ATM. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed with CARE Ratings and the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC) to strengthen consumer protection and transparency. The agreement will introduce a Consumer Responsibility Index and enable faster dispute resolution across the state.

Details of Major Initiatives

1. CBDC-based transparent distribution system

• Gujarat will become the first state in India to transfer PDS subsidies using the Reserve Bank of India-authorised Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

• Developed by Punjab National Bank, the system will provide beneficiaries with digital wallet tokens containing item name, quantity, and price details.

• Aadhaar-enabled access will allow smartphone users to receive food grains via QR code and feature-phone users through OTP authentication.

• The pilot project covers 26,333 families across Sabarmati zone (Ahmedabad), Surat, Anand, and Valsad.

2. Distribution of pulses in 1-kg sealed packs

• Tur dal and gram will now be supplied to NFSA beneficiaries in standard 1-kg sealed packets instead of loose distribution.

• The move is aimed at ensuring purity and maintaining quality.

3. Annapurti Grain ATM – Sabarmati Zone, Ahmedabad

• A 24×7 ‘Grain ATM’ will be introduced to dispense food grains similar to a bank ATM.

• Up to 25 kg of grains can be obtained within 35 seconds, improving accuracy and efficiency in distribution.

4. MoU for consumer protection and transparency

• Agreements with Care Rating and CERC will establish company ratings under the Consumer Responsibility Index (CRI).

• A conciliation and pre-litigation ecosystem will also be activated for faster, out-of-court resolution of consumer complaints.

5. ‘Garima Poshan – Suposhit Garudeshwar Taluka’

• A nutrition-focused campaign will be launched to make Garudeshwar taluka in Narmada district malnutrition-free, with ₹1.65 crore funding from the CSR arm of Gujarat State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd.

• Two model anganwadis will be established, with special focus on adolescent girls and pregnant women.

Through these initiatives, the Gujarat government aims to strengthen food and nutritional security while advancing the vision of a digitally empowered and transparent welfare system.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi, and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi will be present at the launch event, along with other Union and state ministers. Union Secretary for Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Sanjeev Chopra will also attend the event. DeshGujarat