Karnataka: Benefits denied at Anganwadis due to technical malfunctions in new facial recognition system

Bengaluru: The recently introduced Facial Recognition System (FRS) for beneficiaries in Anganwadis has resulted in technical malfunctions in the app and network problem in several districts across Karnataka.

Speaking at a discussion on Tuesday, Gowramma Patil, an anganwadi worker from Gulabarga said, “When the beneficiaries come to Anganwadi the FRS app says the face does not match from the previous time though it is the same person or the server is down during most part of the day and the beneficiaries are forced to wait for more than four or five hours a day. Frustrated by this, a lot of people leave without taking the meals.”

The FRS app also mandates OTP from the beneficiaries to register them on the app. An anganwadi worker from Udupi, Shobha, said, due to recent financial scams a lot of people are scared to share any OTPs sent to them.

“Recently in our anganwadi jurisdiction someone used one of the workers' names and scammed people. Hence, people are growing suspicious about sharing OTPs.”

Despite the technical issues, the government has issued notices to anganwadi workers for not following the FRS system.

The workers also raised concerns about the per day rate of a child being Rs 8 since 2017 despite inflation and rising food costs.

Dr Dipa Sinha, Economist and member of Right to Food campaign, criticized the system, saying. “By using the technology that limits access, the central government seems to be reducing the number of beneficiaries to portray that poverty has reduced in the country to the world.”

However, the Deputy Director of Women and Child Department, Usha S said that once the FRS is completely implemented, the per day rate of a child will be increased.

Speaking about the legalities of the FRS system, Vinay Srinivasa, Advocated, said that the system is flawed as it takes the picture of young children below the age of three.