PDS ‘To Go’? ‘Portability’ of Rights through Real-time Monitoring: the Centralised Online Real-time Electronic PDS in Chhattisgarh, India

Information and communications technology (ICT)-based reforms are increasingly being used to improve the delivery of public services. These reforms have taken the form of crowd-sourcing information (election monitoring), using ICTs to increase efficiency (e.g. computerised land registry systems), and connecting users to providers (e.g. mobile phone-based health services). These different approaches attempt to improve delivery through either (a) improving the quality of information, (b) reducing corruption or (c) making access more convenient and simple. The main question which the research reported here addressed was: through what processes, and under what conditions, do real-time monitoring technology-based reforms strengthen accountability and affect the delivery of public services? This was done by examining the Centralised Online Real-time Electronic (CORE) Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms introduced by the State Government of Chhattisgarh, India.