Ration cards to be digitised
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Civil Supplies Department is gearing up to digitise an estimated 78 lakh ration cards in the state and also introduce the biometric system for distribution of kerosene through ration shops, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob said.
“End-to-End computerisation of the rationing system,beginning with release of stocks from the FCI depots up to delivery of essentials to ration card holders,is the objective of the initiatives,” Anoop Jacob told a press conference here on Tuesday.
“A `253-crore Centrally-sponsored project will be implemented for the purpose and it is expected to go on stream fully by 2014,” he said.
The Minister also said that the government was keen to effectively intervene in the market and arrest the rising prices of essential commodities and even bring in a piece of legislation for this purpose was being looked into.
“Standardisation of price list for hotel food based on different classification is on the anvil. Hotels will have to strictly comply with the direction to display the price list,” he said.
“Food Advisory Committees, which is functional only in five districts, will be constituted at the panchayat-level across the state within three months as a mechanism for effective price check. In addition to the reopening of 10 Maveli hotels which are lying defunct,opening of at least one such hotel in each taluk is being planned,” he said.