NEW DELHI: The fight between Delhi’s Food and Civil Supplies Department and minister Imran Hussain over the public distribution system (PDS) continues. Last month, the minister had suspended the operation of electronic point of sale (e-PoS) alleging irregularities in the biometric-based ration disbursal system introduced this January.The department has now compiled data to highlight the benefits of e-PoS. It maintains that not only is the system necessary, but it is also obligatory upon the Delhi government to follow it as per the National Food Security Act, 2013, which requires the review of eligible beneficiaries.
The department said e-PoS had helped identify nearly three lakh bogus/fake beneficiaries, of whom action had been taken against about 55,000. These people have been issued notices and ration distribution to them has been blocked. None of them have complained, which has confirmed that they are not genuine beneficiaries, Food Commissioner Mohanjeet Singh said.
“The system was launched in January and the results have proven that it has been more successful in comparison to other states. Of the 2.93 lakh people that we have identified and will serve notices, not even a single grievance issue has come forward. This means they are all bogus, fake ration card accounts. The e-pos system helped us identify them and stop the loss of public money. Suspending it is unfortunate,” Singh said.
As per the data provided by the department for the months of January, February and March, 1,74,000 quintals of food, costing approximately `24 crore, was saved after e-PoS was introduced.The number of ration card holders in Delhi is capped at 72.78 lakh. The department hopes removing fake card holders would help deserving people avail the PDS benefits. There 2,200 PDS shops divided in 70 circles across the national capital.
Singh conceded there were initial hiccups in the e-PoS but claimed they had been dealt with.
“Yes, there was a glitch is the system , however in due course the error was identified and removed, now the e-pos system fit to be operated. The system is 99.4 per cent successful,” he said.tem fit to be operated. The system is 99.4 percent successful,” he said.