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India Launches E‑Rupee Public Distribution Pilot in Gujarat

Officials say programmable e‑Rupee tokens will curb leakage by restricting purchases to authorised ration items.

Overview

  • The pilot was inaugurated in Gandhinagar and initially covers 26,333 families across Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, Surat, Anand and Valsad.
  • Beneficiaries receive e‑Rupee tokens in RBI‑linked wallets that specify commodity, quantity and subsidised price, redeemable via QR codes or Aadhaar OTPs at authorised shops.
  • Ministers said the tokens are restricted to ration purchases to prevent diversion and enable transparent, real‑time tracking of entitlements.
  • Gujarat introduced a 24x7 ‘Annapurti’ grain ATM that can dispense up to 25 kg in about 35 seconds, with sealed 1‑kg pulse packs scheduled to begin in March 2026.
  • Punjab National Bank developed the platform, and MoUs with Care Ratings and the Consumer Education and Research Centre will create a Consumer Responsibility Index and pre‑litigation grievance redressal as officials project phased expansion to select Union Territories soon and nationwide within three to four years.