Meghalaya to introduce electronic bar-coded food coupon system

Shillong, May 28 (UNI) The Meghalaya government has decided to introduce an electronic bar-coded food coupon system to check malpractice and plug pilferage of highly-subsidised rice, meant for the marginalised poor.

According to a survey conducted by Org-Marg on implementation of the Targeted Public Distribution System, Meghalaya tops the list of states in diverting commodities meant for Below Poverty Line(BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) families.

The Org-Marg survey conducted in 2005 revealed 80 per cent diversion of food grains.

''We will introduce electronic bar-coded food coupon system in all the seven districts of the state from July 2007 to plug all the loopholes,'' Meghalaya Minister in-charge of Food and Civil Supplies Martle N Mukhim told UNI here today.

Initially, this Information and Communication Technology-enabled system was implemented in West Garo Hills district and had proven to be successful in weeding out all the malpractices, the minister said. Mr Mukhim said the idea was to streamline the system and ensure that all genuine beneficiaries of the BPL and AAY scheme secure their entitlements.

The AAY scheme was launched six years ago to provide food security to the poor, especially households headed by widows or terminally ill or disabled persons or single women and men, aged 60 year or above with no assured means of subsistence or societal support.

As per the scheme, each beneficiary family is provided with 35 kg food grains per month at the rate of Rs three for rice and Rs two for wheat.

Now, the names of the beneficiaries of the AAY have been fed into a computerised data log with details of the village, block and location of the fair price shops and names of the dealers, Mr Mukhim said.

Thereafter, he said a set of electronic bar-coded food coupons(12 coupons for one year) is issued to the head of each beneficiary household with his/her name printed on each coupon along with the details of the FP dealer's name, village, quantity of rice etc.

A FPS dealer has to issue the exact amount of rice or wheat after receiving the coupon from a beneficiary. The dealer must submit these coupons to the supply office to get the next month's allotment, he said.

The minister hoped that once the electronic bar-coded food coupon system is implemented, the government would be able to check all sort of manipulation in the PDS and elimination of bogus ration cards.

UNI