TAWANG : Tawang Deputy Commissioner (DC) Namgyal Angmo on Friday directed all Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers to substantially improve the completion of electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) authentication under the Smart Public Distribution System (Smart PDS) within a week.
Chairing a review meeting on the implementation of Smart PDS and a vigilance meeting of all 39 FPSs in the district, the DC expressed concern over the pending eKYC cases and instructed dealers to intensify the ongoing drive. She asked them to undertake door-to-door follow-up wherever necessary and extend all possible assistance to beneficiaries for completing the authentication process.
The meeting was attended by the District Food and Civil Supplies Officer, officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department and all FPS dealers.
During the meeting, Smart PDS In-Charge Food and Civil Supplies (SIFCS) Sange Tsering presented a detailed review of the district’s eKYC progress, highlighting the achievements made so far, the remaining gap in beneficiary authentication and areas requiring immediate attention to achieve complete coverage.
The DC also directed the SIFCS to submit a detailed status report after the one-week review period to facilitate necessary action through the Smart PDS based on the progress achieved.
The meeting discussed several operational challenges affecting the implementation of Smart PDS, including data migration errors, beneficiary verification issues and technical limitations of the platform. FPS dealers also highlighted ground-level difficulties such as poor connectivity, authentication failures and challenges in reaching beneficiaries in remote areas.
Angmo assured that all genuine concerns would be taken up with the competent authorities for resolution.
Emphasising transparency and accountability in the Public Distribution System (PDS), the DC also stressed the need for timely submission of FPS margin bills, effective functioning of the District Grievance Redressal Mechanism and addressing the shortage of Data Entry Operators, which has affected the smooth implementation of Smart PDS.
Reiterating that successful completion of eKYC is crucial to ensure that food grains and other benefits under the PDS reach only genuine beneficiaries, Angmo called upon all stakeholders to work with urgency and commitment to strengthen the district’s food security delivery mechanism. (DIPR)
