e-PoS system in fair price shops paying dividends

Hyderabad: The e-POS (Electronic Point of Sale) system in Fair Price Shops now covers most of Telangana with its advanced technology and fool-proof mechanism. It becomes the first State to cover maximum number of ration shops out of a total of 17,024 using the latest technology, except in some remote areas, according to Civil Supplies Commissioner C V Anand.

Speaking to media persons at Civil Supplies Bhavan on Thursday, Anand said irregularities were now controlled following implementation of the mechanism. Additional features of the e-POS, he said they were being implemented only in Telangana for averting any irregularities.

This e-POS will be operated with the help of fingerprint scanner or IRIS, and both will be synchronised with Aadhaar details. The beneficiaries can avail online payment mode by swiping their cards.  “Prior to implementation of this, ration dealers and traders collaborated in black marketing of PDS rice.

Even without providing commodity to beneficiaries, it was recorded as if the rice was delivered to them. Some dealers used to issue less quantity to the beneficiaries and sell rice in open market for higher price,” he said.  

The implementation of e-POS is complete in all districts expect 212 ration shops in Adilabad, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Jayashankar-Bhupalpalli, Komarambheem-Asifabad, Mancherial, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Nirmal and Ranga Reddy due to technical difficulties like lack of mobile network coverage. However, these remote areas (about 1.25 %), would remain ‘offline’ till the network is established and will continue to remain functional in the old format because of the existing technical difficulties.

Senior officials of the department will regularly monitor the Fair Price Shops, inventory position, fresh stock availability, commodity allocation and transactions and authentication by Revenue officials and other transactions.

On the other hand, the beneficiaries will regularly receive SMS alerts as soon as commodities are transported to the ration shops from godowns and the quantity they receive during transaction. “70 per cent of mobile phone numbers of beneficiaries are acquired and SMS alerts will be sent to them from March,” informed the Commissioner.

Answering to a question, Anand said the department was acting tough against any kind of pilferage. He said recently the department had initiated action against about five persons who were smuggling PDS rice. He said that District Collectors who found them guilty also booked them under P D Act (Preventive Detention).

“We are preparing a list of accused at the district level and strong cases are being registered so that it proves deterrent to others. There could be about 15 to 20 offenders, who will face action in the coming days,” he added.