JOIN USThe introduction of electronic weighing-cum-point of sale machines, which has ushered in transparency within the public distribution system in Bangalore, will shortly be extended to five more districts in the State, including Gulbarga, Chikmagalur, Mysore and Dharwad, said B A Harish Gowda, principal secretary, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department.
The machines are already in place in Tumkur.
Speaking at the National Consumers’ Day programme here on Monday, Gowda said that over 51 lakh counterfeit ration cards issued to above poverty line (APL) and below poverty line (BPL) families had been cancelled.
At present, there are over 1.29 crore ration card holders in the State.
D N Jeevaraj, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, said that it was a good initiative taken by the department to curb fake ration cards, saving large quantities of foodgrains that can now be distributed to the needy.
“If there are any genuine BPL card holders whose ration cards have been cancelled, the department should ensure that they are returned and their accounts activated,” he said.
Jeevaraj opposed the Centre’s decision to issue only six LPG cylinders a year. “Liberal policies’ were required in LPG cylinder distribution to avoid deforestation due to people using firewood for cooking,” he explained.
The department’s website, has details of every fair price shop in the State and their share of foodgrains in the public distribution system (PDS).
“The biometric system in PDS has brought about transparency, “Harish Gowda said.