Tripura introduces PoS machines in PDS distribution

Agartala, April 10: Ration shops across the state will be integrated under electronic network with Geo Positioning System (GPS) secretary of civil supplies, Yatendra Kumar said here today.

He said a total 1806 ration shops in the state are set to switch over to electronic-Point of Sale (e-PoS) system of PDS item disbursement and PoS machines with GPS have already been distributed to more than 50 percent ration shops.
The move to bring bring transparency in the public distribution system (PDS) is part of 100 days action plan of the new government.
The secretary said, out of 1806 ration shops in the state, 1331 shops have stable internet connectivity. He added that as many as 175 shops have no access to internet, and the remaining 300 shops are located in places where internet connection is unreliable and the government is working on an alternate arrangement to bring these ration shops into the electronic system.
Kumar said, “e-PoS machines system can help maintain transparency in PDS and leakages in the distribution system would be plugged. 
The leakage, is most often found in distributing ration to consumers above the line of poverty, and now, it will be stopped to a certain extent”.
There are approximately 9.26 lakh ration card holders in the state, he said.
"The installation of e-PoS machines in all the ration shops has been started from 1st April last and the installation in all the shops will be covered in several phases," said Kumar and added that nearly 600 shops have already been covered with live setup in Agartala and its suburbs.
It will no longer be possible to distribute commodities at any other place apart from the shop, as the GPS system is inbuilt in the e-PoS machines, he said. This will help prevent pilferage as commodities have to be distributed to consumers only at the shop.
The government of India is spending Rs 8.79 crore for installation e-PoS machines along with setting up of computers and necessary materials in 1806 ration shops across the state. The commodities include rice, kerosene, flour, salt, etc., said Kumar.
Apart from this, he said that the distribution and delivery of rice from Food Corporation of India (FCI) to dealers will be monitored online. UNI