Ludhiana: PDS beneficiaries hassled as tech glitches hamper KYC
A senior food supply department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the problem extends beyond biometric failures adding that if ration-card holders have recently updated their Aadhaar card or other identification documents, their details are not easily updated in the point-of-sale system, further complicating KYC process
The Centre’s work on removing ‘bogus’ beneficiaries from the Public Distribution System (PDS) through ‘know your customer’ (KYC) verification has been marred by persistent glitches in electronic point-of-sale machines and iris-based scanners, officials aware of the matter said. They added that these machines, available at ration depots or fair price shops, are used for biometric authentication of ration-card holders.
According to official data, Ludhiana district has 17,65,217 ration card holders registered under PDS, the highest in the state. The data says that of these, KYC has been completed for 13,59,527 beneficiaries, leaving over 4 lakh unverified.
A local ration depot holder says, “The point-of-sale machines and iris scanners frequently fail to read the fingerprints of senior citizens and children under the age of five, making biometric authentication difficult.”
The depot holder said many families receive rations for fewer members than they are entitled to because of this. Depot holders said they often end up in confrontations with beneficiaries as a fallout of these glitches.
District food supply controller Sartaaj Singh Cheema said, “We have highlighted the technical glitches in the machines. We are looking for alternative solutions or guidelines to make the KYC process hassle-free.”
The depot holders said the repeated failures in authentication lead to long queues at the shop, causing frustration among the beneficiaries.
“The system often fails to process thumb impressions and iris scans, causing unnecessary delays. Many beneficiaries are being turned away after repeated failed attempts,” said a depot holder.
A senior food supply department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the problem extends beyond biometric failures. The officials said that if ration-card holders have recently updated their Aadhaar card or other identification documents, their details are not easily updated in the point-of-sale system, further complicating KYC process.
“While the KYC process was introduced to remove fake or duplicate ration cards, the system should function smoothly for it to be effective. If these glitches persist, many genuine beneficiaries might be left out, leading to unnecessary hardships,” the official added.
Ludhiana Ration Depot Association president Charanjit Singh said, “The Centre is pushing for 100% KYC verification before March 31, but delays in action by officials concerned are preventing resolution of technical issues, putting genuine ration cardholders at risk of exclusion.”
