Latur witnesses maiden launch of ePOS at ration shop

AURANGABAD: The use of electronic point of supply machine (ePOS) in the public distribution system would ensure transparency in ration shops besides providing assured food grain to beneficiaries, a senior government official said.
Vikas Kharge, secretary of State Forest Department, who recently pressed into service maiden ePOS in Latur district, also stressed the need for educating stakeholders about functioning of new system and benefits associated with it.Latur collector Pandurang Pole said Aadhaar seeding work has reached to nearly 90% in his district and it would pave the foundation for sound and effective implementation of ePOS in the public distribution system.
“The ePOS machines are going to revolutionize distribution of ration by through the Public Distribution System (PDS) in many ways. It is a change which should be welcomed by every stakeholder,” he said.
Authorities said ePOS machines provide real time details about distribution of ration through PDS. “At present, there is no system to know real time details of ration in PDS shops. The entire work is carried out manually. Besides ensuring transparency, the new system would also put check of pilferages,” officials said.
Citizens will have to give thumb impression on ePOS machine and it is then authenticates the biometric details of the ration card holder before actual delivery. It may be noted that the Union ministry of food and civil supplies had said earlier that it planned to equip all rations shops in the country with ePOS systems by 2019 and that each of these machines should also double up as ATMs in the rural parts.