HYDERABAD, February 21, 2015
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
A proposal to introduce ePOS (Point of Sale) gadgets in all fair price shops in Telangana State was in the advanced stages of consideration. It was referred to the Cabinet and soon detailed guidelines are to be communicated.
This was revealed at a video-conference the Commissioner of Civil Supplies, C. Parthasarathi, had with Joint Secretary-GoI, Ministry of Food and Public Distribution and others to review the computerisation initiatives in the ePDS system. The software will be linked with Aadhaar biometrics, preventing unauthorised people from drawing essential commodities, while also preventing black-marketing.
The initiative is to start as soon funds were sanctioned and ePOS machines will be made available at all FP shops, in a phased manner. It will also enable cardholders about movement and availability of commodities. Mr. Parthasarathi said seeding of Aadhaar numbers with the ePDS database had helped eliminate bogus units and ensure correct drawal of supplied by dealers.
He informed that online allocation is being given every month to the districts by obtaining closing balances of essential commodities from the Fair Price Shop dealers and online entry by the Tahsildars in ePDS website. The Supply Chain Management was discussed in detail. It will be implemented in all the 172 MLS points in the Telangana State.
The ePDS system was currently functioning across all the 9 circles of Hyderabad district and of 18 MLS points in Rangredddy district, it was available in five of them. It is to be rolled out in Khammam, Medak and Nalgonda by February 25 and in all the MLS points by March, 2015. This will enable information about movement of stocks to the MLS points and FP shops. This would facilitate knowledge of stock management to dealers through SMS messages to cardholders.