Malfunctioning e-POS machines at Fair price shops spell misery for consumers

NEW DELHI: After the introduction of the e-POS machines at all the Fair Price Shops across the Capital, the people are battling with the number of problems to get the rations.

The problem includes the connectivity of the machines, delay in distribution, defective e-POS systems and others.

While the customers are worried about the future, the traders blamed the implementation of the system.

The Delhi government assured both customers and traders that the officials will take care of these problems.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain has directed the department to take a strict action against those found guilty of dereliction of duty after deficiencies were noticed during surprise inspections by the minister to check the efficacy of functioning of e Point of Sale (e-PoS) devices installed at Fair Price Shops," said an official.

The officials of the department informed that nine FPS were checked and a number of deficiencies and shortcomings were noticed.

"There was connectivity problem at some of the FPS leading to delay in distribution of ration to the beneficiaries through e-PoS devices," said a senior official.

"Since the distribution of food grains through e-PoS devices is in its initial or trial stage, such kind of technical issues are being faced and promptly being attended to by the officers," said the official.

The Delhi government has started distributing ration to beneficiaries through e-PoS devices to all 2254 Fair Price Shops in Delhi from January 1, this year. The new system has the mechanism for verification of beneficiaries through Aadhar authentication.

e-Pos Devices have also been integrated with an electronic weighing machine to ensure correct weight to the beneficiaries.

"The Delhi government will take stringent action against the violators of this system. At the start, we are facing some problems but we are sure that this problem will be over soon," said Hussain. The minister has also talked to various customers at the shops and the trader's organisations in the city to ensure the system.

"I think that this plan will be well executed but we have received a lot of problems from various people and I have personally visited many FPS. The problems which are coming are purely technical and this can be solved," he said.

When asked about the violations of the system the minister said that the officers are inspecting the shops but till now the government has not received any complaints of it.