Electronic point of sale system launched at 2 fair price shops

CHANDRAPUR: Food, civil supplies and consumer protection department has introduced electronic point of sale (ePOS) system at two fair price shops on pilot basis in Pirli and Chichordi villages in Bharawati tehsil here. The move is aimed at bringing more transparency and curbing black-marketing from public distribution system. All 1,528 fair price shops in district are going to be covered under ePOS system by March end, informed district civil supplies officer, Rajendra Miskin.
Elaborating the move, Miskin informed that department is collecting details related to Adhar card, bank account number etc from the ration card holders since last few months. The ePOS machines at fair price shops will be linked with weighing scale and biometric Adhar enabled Payment System (AePS). Hence, ePOS-induced transparency will curtail the scope for manipulation of purchase records and diversion of PDS grains to the open market, he explained.
Miskin informed that once the ePOS system is in place, none other than member of ration card holder family can procure the provisions fair price shop. This will also help in curbing the bogus consumers or embazelment on part of fair price shop owner. He told that entire process of procurement and sale of food grains under public distribution system will be online. Consumers will be able to themselves check the status of food grain availability and purchase made through their Adhar linked ration card online. The entire process can also be monitored online from food and civil supplies office at district headquarter, as well as at the ministry at the same time, he added.
He maintained that department is working on target of equipping all the fair price shops in district by March end this year. As many as 4.80 lakh ration card holders including priority families (both BPL and APL ration card holders) and Antyoday card holders in district will be linked with ePOS system with the help of their Adhar cards, he explained. After system is in place, ration card holders linked with biometric AePS will be entitled for benefits at subsidized rates through public distribution system. Those who have not submitted their Adhar and bank details, should ensure to provide the same to tehsil office through their respective fair price shop by January 31, he cautioned.