Umiam (Meghalaya), Apr 12: The Centre is all set to implement biometric ration cards in the North Eastern States to check disbursement of food grains and ensure corruption free in the Public Distribution System.
The new innovation is aimed at curbing disbursement of rice and wheat and to strengthen TPDS, as according to the evaluation study of TPDS and AAY by ORG Centre for Social Research, New Delhi, the diversion of food grains is high in North eastern States especially Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.
However, the state government officials rejected the findings of the ORG Centre for Social Research during the meeting of Food Secretaries North Eastern States here today.
“We are looking at the new technology to computerise the system by introducing biometric card for beneficiaries to ensure PDS corruption free,” Union Food Secretary Alka Sirohi told reporters.
Sirohi was chairing the meeting of Food Secretaries North Eastern States and had thorough interactions on food scenario with officials of Food and Civil Supplies Department from various States in the region and Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials. On the leakage of food grains, Sirohi said that introduction of the technology would help maintaining transparency on every allocation for every states in the region.
Informing that North East has enough allocation of food grains, the Union Food Secretary however asserted that the region does not have adequate storage capacity, adding that the Centre has decided to have over seven lakh tonnes of additional storage in the region.
“Massive construction programmes of godowns would be carried out soon. The FCI would visit every month to the North Eastern States to plug the loopholes and assess the necessity,” Sirohi stated.
The planning Commission has allocated a budget of Rs 20 crore for construction of godowns by FCI during 2009-10 out of which Rs 12 crorewas earmarked for the North East.
Centre set to introduce biometric cards in NE
