Even as the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) is harping on the use of blockchain in the Paddy Procurement Automation System (PPAS) at the paddy procurement centres in the State and even won an award for it conferred on it by a ‘questionable’ organisation, its many shortcomings have come to the fore.

The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare (FS&CW) Department for which the application (App) was developed itself does not know about it, though the supporting organisation (OCAC) claims they have implemented the blockchain app and are using it for paddy procurement in 314 blocks of the State.

Departmental sources said the State e-Governance Team which claims credit for the app, are neither members nor even attended even a single meeting for development of the AAP.          

In the blockchain, all the stakeholders or the participants should have coordination and technical knowledge about the system. So, if a miller is affected, the farmers would also be hit. But all these aspects have not been looked into to ensure that the technology is best suited to the needs.    

As the State e-Governance Team is creating much hype that it has developed the app , in future if there is any failure, the developer (CSM Technologies) can pass the buck and say that they were guided by the former and they are not responsible.

So as the current hype surrounding blockchain in PPAS tends to lead us to believe, blockchain can solve everything. An analysis of the opportunities and limitations should have been done before adopting it hastily.

Besides, lack of awareness among people about blockchain, without understanding technology and improper implementation of blockchain might prove spoilsport, said the experts.