National News

CBDC-Based Public Distribution System

February 20 , 2026 18 hrs 0 min 81 0

Union Home Minister has launched India’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Public Distribution System (PDS) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The pilot has been launched by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in collaboration with the RBI and the Government of Gujarat.
Under this system, beneficiaries receive programmable digital rupee (e₹) coupons in their digital wallets to purchase subsidised foodgrains from Fair Price Shops (FPS).
The pilot has started in Ahmedabad, Anand, Valsad, and Surat districts of Gujarat and will be expanded to the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Puducherry, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
The initiative integrates CBDC into PDS to enable secure, traceable, and real-time transactions.