BHUBANESWAR: After successful implementation of end-to-end computerisation (EtEC) of public distribution system (PDS), the State Government is in the process of completing automation of fair price shops (FPS).
Of the 13,306 fair price shops in the State, Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) has reportedly installed electronic point of machines (ePoS) in 12,631. The remaining FPS will have the facility by September-end.The objective of FPS automation is to bring in transparency in the distribution of ration among the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Apart from tracking all the transactions that take place in FPS, the new system will ensure authentication of ration card holders through either biometric (Aadhaar) or through OTP (one time Pin). If both the authentication process does not succeed, the beneficiaries will still be issued with the PDS item.
However, same transaction would be flagged as “un-authenticated”, official sources said.
Over 3.23 crore individuals of 86.30 lakh households of the State are covered under the food security programme. Meanwhile, Aadhar linking of 88 per cent ration cards and 64 per cent of beneficiaries have been completed. Efforts are on to achieve 100 per cent Aadhar linking by September 2017.
Use of ePoS device is of immense benefit to the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department as it helps to keep a tab on the people involved in the supply chain and provides actual information on the total food grains distributed among beneficiaries under NFSA by PDS dealers, the sources said.
The progress of FPS automation and Aadhar linking of beneficiaries was reviewed by Chief Secretary AP Padhi at a high-level meeting here on Saturday.
Padhi advised the department to select more items for sale through fair price shops which will bring more profit to the PDS dealers.