Thread by @logic

#ReadingSession - #Thread on "Report of the Task Force on an IT Strategy for PDS and an implementable solution for the direct transfer of subsidy for Food and Kerosene" - Oct 2011 aka #NandanPDSTaskForce which first mooted the idea of #PDSN. It is important to understand #ONORC

The report is here - dea.gov.in/sites/default/…

Before dwelling in - Note the title - Czar didn't like 'commitees' and hence called whatever he was part of, as - task force - Though no task was done!

https://twitter.com/logic/status/1071701329012187136

Members of committee - All ex-officio secretaries, except 2 from the illegal executive body UIDAI. This was basically done by "#Aadhaar lobby".

May 2020 - theprint.in/economy/modi-g… - Nandan funded media calling 'Anti Aadhaar lobby' in NAC stalled it in UPA era.

1. "Incentive-compatible for all stakeholders" is "Lure every stalkeholder to agree to be databased", such that ultimate power will be at behest of network - The very same tactic that Uber / Ola later used to onboard riders, drivers, cities. #Disruption #Network #DataEconomy

2. Note ref to strategic control with government - What is unsaid is operational control will be with private players.

#UIDAI (was forced to become govt entity), #NPCI, #GSTN (which still is private entity) all follow this #NIU model - of monopoly databases at private hands.

3. Token agnostic technology - States to configure solutions based on requirements - But data will be managed centrally. Give ability to do cash transfer
4. Nudge people to opt-in for cash transfer
5. #Aadhaar ify, so people are forced to get it. This is 2011 when UID was not big

Similar NIU structure - as of #GSTN that was in-principle approved back then

1. State must have strategic control, but minority stakes, hence giving complete operational autonomy (and hence outside govt checks & balances like #RTI, #CAG, #CVC)

2. A sectoral data monopoly undertaking data centralization through platform centralizing transactions, often mandated through government law.

3. All participating Governments sign up IT contracts with entity for services on top of data platform

Taking state IT along - to minimize opposers. Where have we seen this - Yes, #Aadhaar - #SRDH. Also, a message to states to say, we will reuse your capex.

Federal autonomy with centralized database - Lol, what were the men smoking?

Also note consistent nudge on "choice of subsidy". They want to voluntary make people mandatorily opt for cash and dismantle PDS.

Oh #Aadhaar linkage will be phase 2. Yeah, people first need to get it

1 mark question on difference between UPA PDSN and NDA PDSN - State's participation was 'voluntary' in #UPA while #NirmalaSitaraman placed it as a condition to join #ONORC (which includes #PDSN) for relaxation of #FRBM during #COVID19

16 mark question later on the same coming

Phase - I (SCM-PDS) -- which is digitization of supply chain / movement of goods from godowns / warehouses to shops for PDS, MDM etc.

This is already live without #PDSN today in most states and is being carried out as part of #E2EComputerizationOfPDS mandated by SC in PUCL case

What #PDSN will do is 'entitlements portability'.

Yes, this might be natural / obvious to see the benefits of this in #MigrantCrisis, but stay till the end of the movie, we are barely at the end of executive summary.

Incentive-compatible solution design - Remember Revenue neutral tax system, yes same snake oil.

But what about market - Is it just competition in FPS shops due to portability?

Translation :- This strategy is only about data platformization of PDS through #PDSN and is not about policy making.

We (Private entity having operational control) will use the data as a detailed free market survey before we push dismantling the system, once we have enough data

Why did a constitutional court lay out a giant IT project roadmap in its judgement? 🤔🤔
This trend continues even now - They have gone one step further and have started appointed project managers - thehindu.com/news/national/…

@gautambhatia88 - What next - server specs on judgement?

But no one asked - Why is the technology not transparent.

IIT-JEE question - Read the below statement and calculate the TPS capability of #PDSN.

This is important because they still haven't got it right for #GSTN and imagine what havoc #PDSN could cause.

On studying existing IT infra / best practices, TamilNadu fared in 7 / 12 items. Remaining were on targetting / use of biometrics . One small takeaway here - If you want to be best in feeding, go universal. TN is universal PDS and not TPDS.

Wait, the IT strategy for PDS was made without doing the "comprehensive 'As Is' study "? So much samosas were had by 'task force'.

Look who is talking of constitution and autonomy.😂😂😂

Also - age old "Tech is neutral" snake oil while centralizing data for analytics - which gives data owners aggregate value .

Using Supreme Court judgement to push for NIU.

Also shamelessly self referencing TAGUP

So #PDSN - What does it do ? TL;DR, all IT & ITeS to be handled by it.

Private - non-profit, as envisioned in his own TAGUP (That was a GoI sealed document of his book, which itself was manuscript given by superior powers). Sec 25, so no RTI, no CAG, no CVC. Also financial independence etc etc.

In 2011, there was no lateral entry. This 'open to private sector' is basically introduction of revolving door in Indian administration. The cooling period etc is a joke.

The Chairman to be appointed by GoI - Remember @GST_Council and veto FM has.

Putting monopolistic environment on the paper - and independent legal entity. Independent of whom? - Yes, the Government.

So you as a citizen, can't demand accountability from it.

Not only the "IT Strategy" did not study the existing status in detail, but it just also suggests transfer of IP to the new entity it suggests!

Ownership of source code - Should it not be public ? #PublicMoneyPublicCode

But then, these just jot down detailed power accumulation of #PDSN. Just like how #GSTN did for taxation data.

The software architecture, clearly spells out that it will be data aggregation layer . Also note Ration Card - Aadhaar integration. (We will revisit this in today's #IMPDS implementation, #SocialRegistry and how #ONORC could be used for #NRC)

Solution architecture of SCM-PDS aka Phase-1.

The Aadhaar dedup is pure snake oil, as Aadhaar can be enrolled using fake ration card and now the person can have 2 Aadhaar linked ration cards.

Information visibility to MoF over everything. PDSN report to capital. This is the crux of #PDSN.

The automation of audit by tech platforms (that in itself are outside of #CAG)

cc @sunil_abraham

Core Subsidy Management System and financialisation of food subsidy, so people having debts will starve because their food subsidy will go towards debt repayments.

When judicial solutionism and techno solutionism are so much love, that they are 1 mind in 2 souls :)

Aadhaar linkage parts

Anything #Aadhaar by itself leaks, still the commitment to publish database of all applicants and publish them online.