Iris-based authentication in all PDS shops in Tamil Nadu in 2 months

CHENNAI: State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection and Price Control, R Sakkarapani on Thursday informed the Assembly that iris-based scanners for Aadhaar authentication will be implemented in all Fair Price Shops in two months.

Responding to the discussion on the demands for grants for his department in Assembly, Sakkarapani said, when the biometric fingerprint did not work in a few ration shops, there was delay and difficulty in purchasing essential commodities and based on the requests received from the cardholders, the iris-based scanners for Aadhaar authentication was introduced in the ration shops and so far the system have been implemented in 9,182 fair price shops across the state and for the remaining shops, the system will be introduced in two months.

“Procurement price of paddy will be further increased in the coming months and 1,57,353 new family cards have been issued in the last 3 years and steps will be taken to issue more family cards in the coming days. In the last 3 years, 619 full-time ration shops and 1,500 part-time ration shops have been newly opened and 7,797 ration shops operating in rented buildings will soon be shifted to their own buildings,” he said.

He further said that the senior citizens (above 80) have been exempted from visiting ration shops and availing commodities on their behalf any person authorised by the government can visit the ration shops to avail their commodities.

He also pointed out that so far 3,15,437 ration cards have been issued with the proxy certificate by the state government.

In order to improve the family card database, identification and de-identification of deceased and migrated family cardholders is being actively implemented, the minister noted.