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This is an archive article published on March 18, 2020
Coronavirus: Odisha to distribute three months of ration to beneficiaries
Since Coronavirus is contagious in nature and food grains shall be distributed to PDS beneficiaries through ePoS devices but, without using any type of biometric scanning through either fingerprint scanner or IRIS scanner attached to the e-PoS.
Connectivity to ePoS devices at FPSs is ensured by state governments. In case connectivity is not there ePoS devices can also work in offline mode. (Representational Image)
In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, Odisha government has decided to distribute foodgrains under the Public Distribution System (PDS) to beneficiaries to avoid any scare of a shortage of essential items or rush at fair price shops.
The Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare announced it will distribute rice, wheat, and S.K. Oil to 3.26 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act and 4.50 lakh beneficiaries under the State Food Security Act through PDS for April, May, and June from April 1 to May 15.
Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain stated on Twitter: “Beneficiaries have been given an window period of 45 days to collect their three months ration/S.K.Oil entitlements in a staggered manner, so as to avoid the rush at the fair shops in the wake of ongoing #CoronaVirus threat. #OdishaFightsCorona #COVID19”.
Since Coronavirus is contagious in nature and food grains shall be distributed to PDS beneficiaries through ePoS devices but, without using any type of biometric scanning through either fingerprint scanner or IRIS scanner attached to the e-PoS.
As per the government, electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices are installed at Fair Price Shops are authentication of beneficiaries and electronic recording of subsidised foodgrain distribution to beneficiaries. Compared with the prior practice of manual record-keeping of the transactions, the ePoS based transactions have the advantage that the FPS dealers are not required to manually make separate/repetitive entries of foodgrain distribution in registers and ration cards of the beneficiaries.
Connectivity to ePoS devices at FPSs is ensured by state governments. In case connectivity is not there ePoS devices can also work in offline mode.
Meanwhile, in Odisha, all the district collectors have been asked to complete all preparatory arrangements within next seven days timeline so that distribution will start from 1st April 2020.
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