Face recognition tech to end PoS problems of public distribution system beneficiaries

Amaravati: In the wake of widespread complaints that many PDS (public distribution system) beneficiaries are being deprived of ration due to non-recognition of biometrics by PoS machines, the civil supplies department is going to introduce face recognition technology to ensure distribution of ration to all eligible card holders. 

Disclosing this in a reply in Legislative Council on Tuesday, civil supplies minister Prathipati Pulla Rao admitted that there were technical problems with the existing finger prints and iris system in distribution of ration to the beneficiaries. The minister was replying to questions raised by some members on ration shops. 

Member Gumidi Sandhya while asking the government whether it was contemplating bifurcation of ration shops located in tribal areas pointed out that many ration card holders were not able to get ration due to mismatch of finger prints.

TDP’s T D Janardhan said many card holders were facing hardships with the existing iris and  and finger printing system because the finger prints of elderly people and daily wage workers are not being recognised. He asked the minister to find a solution to this problem and ensure all eligible families receive essential commodities through PDS.

Another member Satrucharla Vijayarama Raju also added his voice to the other members in seeking relief to the affected beneficiaries. Responding to their concerns, minister Pulla Rao said the government would introduce facial recognition technology which would recognise the face of the beneficiary and would be useful for distribution of ration.

Stating that 40,000 to 50,000 PDS beneficiaries in the state were facing problems with the finger prints and iris recognition, the civil supplies minister assured the House that the problems would be resolved at any cost.

He also said concrete steps would be taken for the door delivery of ration to the disabled and sick people in village and directives would be given to the village revenue officers in this regard.

On opening of new shops in tribal areas, the minister said district collectors are empowered to open new shops based on the needs of the local people. He said the government would consider the request of the member for opening of some more shops in the tribal areas. 

Earlier, MLC Sandhya Rani said tribal families were forced to go to about 15 km to get the ration every month because the shops are located far from the tribal hamlets. She said the problem is more in the remote Agency areas.