Smart card project kicks off in UT
CHANDIGARH: The database being prepared for smart cards for public distribution system (PDS) would be later utilized for unique Id project in the city. The smart card scheme has been introduced in Chandigarh as a pilot project by the Government of India using the biometric system.
The smart card scheme would cover approximately 2.5 lakh families in Chandigarh including below poverty line, Antyodaya Anna Yojana and above poverty line families and would become fully-operational by December, 2010.
Prerna Puri, director food and supplies said the administration had launched the pilot project of smartcard-based public distribution system (PDS) at two fair price shops. ?The smart card scheme has been made operational at M/s Arihant Provision Store and M/s Mool Chand Jagdish Rai Store functioning in Sector 25,? she said.
The smart card scheme was announced for Chandigarh and Haryana on pilot basis in the budget speech of the Union finance minister in 2008. The Chandigarh administration selected M/s HCL-Virgo as system integrator for implementation of the project across 39 fair price shops and 9 kerosene depots in the city.
Chandigarh has taken a lead in implementation of the scheme and around 70 beneficiaries registered at the two fair price shops in Sector 25 have already been issued rations through the smart cards. The data digitization of around 10,000 cards has already been completed and an intensive programme for holding enrolment camps for capturing the biometric and photographs of the beneficiaries has been chalked out. The food and supplies department has already collected the data of around 1.5 lakh APL families through distribution of forms at the various Sampark Centres.
The smart card scheme aims at streamlining the functioning of the Food and Supplies Department and ensuring improvised service delivery by replacing the existing paper-based ration cards with smart cards. The smart card system envisions setting up point of sale (POS) terminals at all fair price shops and kerosene depots in the city. The smart card with a 64 Kb capacity would hold biometric data of family members of the card holder.
The smart card of the FPS owner and kerosene depot owner would carry details of the beneficiaries attached with the shop/depot. The identity of the beneficiary would be established by means of his/her biometric impression in the card. The beneficiary would be able to know the ration allocation made so far and also the remaining balance in his account.