The Annapurna is a scheme with an objective to provide food security to senior citizens who remain uncovered though eligible for the National Old Age Pension Scheme. Beneficiaries under this scheme are provided 10 Kg of food grains per month free of cost. But one thing people should know is that, beneficiaries of this schemes will be 20% of the cumulative number of old aged eligible to receive pension under NOAPS in the state.

Old aged people having no means of living are given utmost priority. Here are the eligibility criteria for availing the scheme.

1. Applicant should be 65 years of age and above
2. The applicant must be a destitute i.e. old aged people with little means or no means of subsistence from their source of income or families.
3. The applicant should not be in receipt of any Pension by the state or NOAPS

Accordingly, identification of beneficiaries is done by the District Authorities under the State Government. Below are the responsible authorities for implementing the Annapurna Scheme.

1. The Department of Public Distribution, Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution is responsible for ensuring the supply of required quantities of quality food grains to the State Government designated agency.
2. The State Department of Public Distribution at the State level and the collector/Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat/District Magistrate will be equally responsible for the implementation of the scheme. The purchase of food grains from FCI and ensuring proper allocation is done by the State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department. The Collector or Chief Executive Officer is responsible for checking the availability of food grains at the district level and also distribution of the same through Fair Price Shops under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). The same authorities are responsible for making arrangement of food grains distribution, issue of cards through the Panchayat or Municipalities and ensuring that the scheme beneficiaries are not receiving old age pensions.

How and where to apply?

For those old aged people living in rural areas have to apply through the Panchayat Pradhan and those living in Urban areas through the Notified Area Committee. After the approval of the Gram Sabha of the Notified Area Committee it will be further approved by the Welfare Department, Bihar and the Ration Card will be issued by the responsible authority. Ration card will also be issued after the approval of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department. No fees will be charged, no forms will be filled and no document is needed in order to apply for this scheme.

PDS Gaya as mentioned elsewhere, is one of the most well-organized and functional Public Distribution System in the country. This District in Bihar recently has undertaken a lot of changes in its way of functioning and customer response so that no customer will have any problem with it.

A new site has been launched wherein customers can gain information, file complaints and get latest PDS related updates. Customers will be dealt directly through the grievance cell.

Here are the advantages one can get from the unique PDS system.

1. GPS freight movement with features like Geo-fencing, Speed Alerts and diversion alerts over the air using GPRS 3G.
2. Tranparency and citizen engagements: Rich greivances section with equal emphasis on action as on reporting. Users have options like photos, videos upload whereby they can report the malfunctioning with "proofs". SMS based alerts on action lodged complain and actions taken. Public is kept in the loop- appropriately informed and engaged.
3. Electronic weigh bridges and MIS form a seamless single core Public Distribution System. Hence, easy to use and maintain.
4. Mobile phone application for busy and always on the go officials to stay informed and take an action as when the cases of theft occur. 
5. Easy to use and intuitive look and feel.
6. Entire information related to PDS as relevant to beneficiaries is available on a single click of mouse.
7. Multilingual interface