<p>Minister for Food and Civil Supplies D N Jeevraj said that electronic weighing-cum-point of sale (PoS) machines will be installed in ration shops of five more districts, on a pilot basis. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking to presspersons here on Friday, he said that this was an attempt to usher in transparency in Public Distribution System (PDS). The food grains rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene will be weighed through electronic weighing machine. The weighing machine with a voice system not only tells the customer the weight of the grocery, but also the amount to be paid on the basis of biometric information of the ration card holder. <br /><br />The electronic weighing machines will be installed at Mysore, Chikmagalur, Belgaum, Dharwad and Raichur districts. The machine will be unveiled at Seethur Society in N R Pura taluk on January 14. The machines will be installed in all the ration shops by the end of the month. <br /><br />Following rampant malpractices in the distribution of foodgrains and ration cards in several districts in the State, the government is now mulling to give ownership of ration shops to self-help groups. At several places the ration shops are manned by co-operative societies. Many such societies do not even have office-bearers. As per the Cooperative Societies ct, such societies should be registered and annual auditing is mandatory.<br /><br />Shortage of water<br /><br />The Minister said that 52 villages in Kadur, Tarikere and Chikmagalur have been facing acute shortage of water. There is no dearth of funds to carry out water projects. Zilla Panchayat has been directed to prepare an action plan for drinking water. <br /><br />The issue has already been discussed by District-in-Charge Secretary Rajeev Chawla, Deputy Commissioner and ZP CEO. He said that several borewells have gone dry in the district. Efforts will be made to supply water through tankers. The DC has already been directed to prepare an action plan for the same. The government is ready to sanction any amount for supplying drinking water, he added. <br /></p>
<p>Minister for Food and Civil Supplies D N Jeevraj said that electronic weighing-cum-point of sale (PoS) machines will be installed in ration shops of five more districts, on a pilot basis. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking to presspersons here on Friday, he said that this was an attempt to usher in transparency in Public Distribution System (PDS). The food grains rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene will be weighed through electronic weighing machine. The weighing machine with a voice system not only tells the customer the weight of the grocery, but also the amount to be paid on the basis of biometric information of the ration card holder. <br /><br />The electronic weighing machines will be installed at Mysore, Chikmagalur, Belgaum, Dharwad and Raichur districts. The machine will be unveiled at Seethur Society in N R Pura taluk on January 14. The machines will be installed in all the ration shops by the end of the month. <br /><br />Following rampant malpractices in the distribution of foodgrains and ration cards in several districts in the State, the government is now mulling to give ownership of ration shops to self-help groups. At several places the ration shops are manned by co-operative societies. Many such societies do not even have office-bearers. As per the Cooperative Societies ct, such societies should be registered and annual auditing is mandatory.<br /><br />Shortage of water<br /><br />The Minister said that 52 villages in Kadur, Tarikere and Chikmagalur have been facing acute shortage of water. There is no dearth of funds to carry out water projects. Zilla Panchayat has been directed to prepare an action plan for drinking water. <br /><br />The issue has already been discussed by District-in-Charge Secretary Rajeev Chawla, Deputy Commissioner and ZP CEO. He said that several borewells have gone dry in the district. Efforts will be made to supply water through tankers. The DC has already been directed to prepare an action plan for the same. The government is ready to sanction any amount for supplying drinking water, he added. <br /></p>