Jharkhand becomes fifth State in the country after Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, to launch machine based PDS in the country following completion of all works related to National Food Security Act in the State.

Talking to mediapersons at Project Building, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Saryu Roy said that names of as many as 2,63,88,000 beneficiaries will be freezed from August 10 and no new names will be further added or removed from the list till the next three months.

“A list of 2,63,88000 beneficiaries has been finalised which will be further sent to the Government of India. Now, names could be added or removed through system only with having no such right with the districts,” said the Minister. Works related to end-to-end computerisation has been completed fulfilling all requirements related to Food Security Act,” he said.

“Those who have been left out of this list will be issued ‘White Ration Cards’ on the basis of demands raised by a beneficiary. ‘Process of making 'White Ration Cards’ is in its final stage for those whose names could not be inducted in the list,” he said. 

Biometric Machine is being installed in all public distribution shops in the State in three phases while the PDS dealers of the first phase are also being inducted training programmes in three phases so that there should not be any doubt related to its operation.

“With the installation of electronic balance and Biometric Machines in PDS shops, a beneficiary can purchase foodgrains in installments,” Roy said. “Now, our concern is to how efficiently we will be able to launch it in the State,” he said.

The Minister also warned PDS dealers that no excuse will be entertained as they will have to make all transactions of foodgrains through machines only.

“I have directed the PDS dealers strictly that any work related to PDS will be done through machines only, and they will also have to bear the problems arising out of machines. Those who have any problem may quit at any point of time, we will appoint some other dealer in his place," said the Minister. 

later, Food and Civil Supplies Secretary Vinay Kumar Chaubey said that distribution of foodgrains will through machines will be completed phase wise till October this year.

“In the first phase, eight districts of the State will be covered in August this year, including Garhwa Ranchi, Khunti, Saraikela, Hazaribagh, Chatra, Pakur and Jamtara," said Chaubey. "10 districts will be covered in September while the remaining 6 districts will be covered in October," he added.

Three models for the same are being introduced — Fully Online, Partial Online and Offline. Real time authentication of a beneficiary is done in fully online, while deferred authentication of the beneficiary is done in case of partial online. Offline model is introduced in the mobile shadow zones where transactions are done through machines.  

“There will be no distribution of food grains on 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th day of a month as these dates have been kept reserved for maintenance of machines and servers and also to download the remaining data.

To remove any confusion among the beneficiaries, rice day will be observed on 14 and 24 of every month in Dumka Division, 15 and 25 of every month in Palamu and Hazaribagh Divisions while it will be observed on 16 and 26 of a month in South Chotanagpur, Ranchi and Kolhan Divisions.