PDS to use biometrics

The Maharashtra government has decided to use biometric system in all ration shops in the state to curb irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS). This will be done phase wise and the Central government will partly fund the project. This will be part of efforts to computerise the PDS and bring it up to date. The move has come after the Supreme Court directed an end-to-end computerisation of the PDS.

As per a government resolution (GR) issued by the food and civil supplies department, the biometric has been made a must for distribution of food grains.

“Under the National Food Security Act, the families have been given bar coded ration card with Aadhar card numbers of the family members. It is necessary to use biometric system while distributing food grains,” the GR said.

An official from the food and civil supplies department said, “The biometric system will record the thumb impression of the person taking food grains so that only the family members will benefit from it and no one else can misuse it.

He said the move has been taken to curb malpractices in the distribution system. “We want the needy to benefit from the PDS. After computerisation of the entire system, it is expected that it will be possible to track food grains right from the godowns where it is stored, to the ration shops where it is sent and then distributed to people. The pilot project was already conducted in Nashik where vehicles carrying grains were tracked and godowns monitored. It was a successful experiment and hence it will be extended to the state,” the official said.

In Mumbai alone, there are 3,000 rationing shops and 1,000 in neighbouring Thane that will be linked to the biometric system.