Smart ration cards to be issued to 1.89 crore families in Tamil Nadu by May: CM
CHENNAI: Nearly 1.89 crore family card holders in Tamil Nadu will get their smart family cards by May. Once they get an SMS from the Civil Supplies Department, they can collect the cards from their regular ration shops.
The cards will be issued free of cost, says the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday. He launched distribution of smart family cards at a function in Korattur where heads of seven families got the cards from him.
Palaniswami also began the supply of essential commodities using smart cards through video conferencing facility from the venue. He said the existing printed cards would be valid for drawing the essential commodities till the families got the smart cards. There are 34,840 ration shops across the State.
Of the 6.90 crore members in family cards, Aadhaar details had been collected from 5.85 crore members. For 99 per cent of the family cards, Aadhaar details of at least one family member had been collected and the smart family cards have been produced with these details.
The chief minister further said the mobile phone numbers of 1.67 crore family card holders had been collected to send SMS about the essential commodities supplied to them. This would prevent irregularities in stock details. As the entire PDS had been computerised, the movement of essential commodities could be monitored online.
As multiple entries of family members would be avoided through computerisation, supplies to bogus ration cards would be prevented. The public can lodge complaints on toll-free numbers 1967 and 1800 425 5901.