TNN | Updated: Sep 26, 2016, 12.12 PM IST
VIJAYAWADA: After successful launch of the electronic point of sale (e-POS) aimed at plugging irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS), the Krishna district administration has embarked itself yet another novel initiative - cashless transactions in PDS, the first-of-its-kind in the country. To ensure transparent and quick delivery of service to the end user, district collector Babu A has proposed a plan to rope in banks for all PDS transactions and asked the officials to collect bank account details of all white card-holders and ration dealers.
The district officials will enrol all white ration card holders in the district for the new payment system according to which money gets credited to the dealer's account soon after purchase. The user's bank account will be linked with the dealer's and the latter can receive money in a fraction of second after the transaction is completed at the fair price shop.
"Taking a key step to plug the leakages in welfare schemes and to weed out bogus card holders, we have created the system. All transactions will be monitored periodically. As many as 2,167 dealers in the district will have to submit the list of beneficiaries periodically," said district collector Babu A.
Expressing confidence on the new system, he said both e-POS and Aadhaar-enabled public distribution system (AePDS) have reduced leakages in the welfare schemes and only the eligible card-holders are availing of the services. Bogus white ration card-holders can be in the district can be kept aside with the help of cashless transactions, he added.
He said the system will analyse the customer behaviour and those that do not buy essential commodities for two months will not get subsidy from the government. "For restoration of benefits, the ration card-holders will have to write to the district supply officer explaining the reason for failing to buy their quota of entitlement," he added.