Hyderabad: KYC update puts ration card holders in trouble

Hyderabad: For the past few weeks long queues are being witnessed at the public distribution system(PDS) shops (ration shops).

Beneficiaries waiting in queues for updating KYC allege that these shops don’t have basic facilities to accommodate flow of hundreds of people, lack human power and digital infrastructure, except IPOS machines.

Card-holders point out that there are huge lines of people standing in front of PDS shops to provide biometric, standing the whole day. It is observed that no special arrangements have been made at these shops; no basic facilities are provided including drinking water, chairs, tents, token system. People face lot of difficulties, especially senior citizens. Asmany shops are closed for the past few days, many beneficiaries are going back.

said Ramesh of Nagole, “As there is no clarity about the purpose of conducting KYC exercise and no proper publicity has been given to people, there is fear and panic among the card-holders. There are rumours if we do not update Know Your Customer (KYC), we won’t be able to receive ration. For the past two days I have been visiting PDS shops, but updating process is taking so long. The shop-owners are unable to manage crowd due to lack of basic facilities in shops.”

Another card-holder Shanti Reddy said, “the PDS dealer of our area has asked me to visit nearby MeeSeva centre. Even there also due to a technical issue KYC could not be updated. There is no clarity still when we can update it.

This process should be done in PDS shops; why we are asked to visit MeeSeva centres? It will be better if the government stops the ongoing exercise and adopts a different method of updating KYC.’

On condition of anonymity, a PDS dealer said, “For the past few weeks we are struggling to handle huge crowds as ration shops have only IPOS machines. As they are not recording thumb impression due to technical issues, we have asked the card-holders to visit nearby MeeSeva centres.’