Rejecting the remarks made by Indian Development Economist Jean Dreze that introduction of biometric authentication has derailed Public Distribution System in Jharkhand, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Saryu Roy said that putting a question mark on the entire system in a short period of one month of its introduction was not justified. Talking to media persons at Project building in Ranchi on Thursday, Roy said that media has also been suggesting other states not to introduce it on the basis of findings, which was not correct.
A study conducted by a two-member team headed by Jean Dreze suggested that the system has run into serious trouble as Point of sales (PoS) machines installed at distribution outlets have been unable to recognise the fingerprints of a large number of National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries in Ranchi district itself. Dreze is currently the visiting professor of the Department of Economics, Ranchi University.
“A drive has been started to press the idea that the biometric system has completely filed in Jharkhand. Putting a question mark on the entire system in such a short period of time is not justified,” said Roy. “We strongly believe that there was no failure in the system as machine can makes mistakes only due to human error,” he added.
Roy further added that the food grains to leprosy patients will be distributed offline as they were not able to authenticate though their finger prints.
“Those people, who cannot authenticate through their finger prints, are being authenticated thorough mobile phones. Those who do not have mobile phones are being authenticated through other’s mobile phones,” said Roy.
Some dailies had carried reports on Thursday that the leprosy patients in Ranchi, despite having ration cards, were not able to get food grains due to failure in authenticating themselves in PoS machines though their thumbs.
He said that whatever shortcomings are there, they will be duly taken care of. “The department was quite vigilant on such issues and tries to remove whatever problems arises on day to day basis,” said the Minister. Due to the problems arising in some of the areas, we have delayed the launch of biometric based PDS distribution by one month for the second and third phase.
Roy said that if Dreze has some other alternative of biometric system in his mind, he must share it with them, the department would definitely like to get it tested in Jharkhand.
“It should not be done only to criticize the system…..if Dreze has time he must come and discuss the matter with us,” said Roy.
The Minister also said they were planning to expand the scope of biometric system in the state by connecting it with the facilities like distribution of seeds to the farmers and providing pension to the pensioners.
The department will soon introduce ration management system in Jharkhand though which a consumer can update his data by logging in directly into the site.