State to get biometric ration cards by March 2011

All citizens of the state will have biometric ration cards in place, by March 2011.

All citizens of the state will have biometric ration cards in place, by March 2011.

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Citizens will get their cards by becoming a part of the unique national identity (UID) survey system that is being conducted throughout Maharashtra.

After getting it, any family member carrying the card to the ration shop will have his counter data verified through an online system at the shop, thus eliminating issues of illegal and bogus ration cards and fraud in distribution of rationed food items.

The online data will also be connected to the tehsil giving him an idea of the stock available.

“The Centre has sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for carrying out the data collection for the UID, similar to the data we need for the Rs 2.5 crore ration cards to be issued in the public distribution system,” said Anil Deshmukh, minister of food and civil supplies.

In this way, the state also saves some money, he added. A team of surveyors will visit each village, take photographs, collect information, take palm prints and even take images of the iris, which will be stored on the data card.

The state has received Rs 1 crore as an initial amount for the work, which will begin in November 2010.