K'taka to install electronic machines in fair price shops

Bangalore, June 27 (UNI) The Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Department has planned to introduce several measures, including installation of electronic machines in fair price shops, for effective distribution of foodgrains under the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Talking to newspersons here, State Food and Civil Supplies Minister H Halappa said the electronic machines would update information on distribution and availability of food grains with the use of smart cards provided to the card holders.

He said an hardware company had developed these machines with RF technology and would be experimented on a pilot basis before introducing it at the state level.

The department had also taken several other measures such as display of list of card holders, names of vigilance committee members and formation of squads on the lines of excise department for ensuring transparency, he said.

The minister said the department would also issue eight lakh BPL cards under G-9 category.

These measures would come into effect in the next three months, he added.

UNI SIV RS RL AS1624