Computerisation of fair price shops on cards to stop pilferage

In an effort to prevent pilferage of food grains meant for public distribution system (PDS), the Delhi government has taken up an ambitious project of computerisation of all fair price shops (FPS) and installation of 'point of sale (PoS)' device in each of them.
The project also envisages sale of ration items to the beneficiaries only on biometric authentication of one of the family members, informed Secretary-cum-Commissioner of the Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department S S Yadav.
"This will help eliminate bogus ration cards as well as the possibility of diversion of food grains of those beneficiaries who do not turn up to buy the food grains from the FPS in any particular month.

"Under the new system, the information regarding sale of specified food articles under PDS that is wheat, rice and sugar will also be available online which will facilitate continuous monitoring and greater transparency in the system," Yadav said.
The department has taken up a pilot project in two shops -- FPS number 5844 of circle 25 (Moti Nagar) and FPS number 8692 of circle 50(Greater Kailash).
The sale of ration for the month of April to the beneficiaries attached to these two shops was done through the point of sale device and after biometric authentication of beneficiaries from the Aadhaar Server.

The Delhi government has submitted a detailed proposal amounting to Rs 7.50 crore in this regard to the Centre's Department of Food and Public Distribution for financial assistance, he added.