In a significant move to enhance transparency and accountability in Delhi’s Public Distribution System (PDS), the Food and Civil Supplies Department will begin integrating electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices with digital weighing machines at all 1,967 Fair Price Shops (FPS) across the national capital.
Following a meeting of the Food Supply Department, Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that the integration of ePoS devices and weighing machines is a long-awaited reform that will eliminate manual discrepancies, ensure real-time authentication, and guarantee accurate quantity delivery to every beneficiary.
He has issued clear instructions to all FPS dealers and department officials to strictly ensure the regular maintenance of ePoS machines, adding that no eligible beneficiary should be denied ration due to technical glitches or any other lapses.
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ (ONORC) initiative, Sirsa directed that ration must be provided without delay to all eligible beneficiaries, including migrant beneficiaries.
He added, “Strict action will be taken against Fair Price Shop dealers who deny free and rightful ration under the NFSA to eligible beneficiaries. Additionally, every FPS must prominently display ONORC-related eligibility details on display boards to ensure migrant beneficiaries can access their entitlements without confusion or hardship.”
The integration of ePoS devices with weighing machines will enable real-time recording of weight data during each transaction, thereby helping the department ensure accurate dispensation, prevent stock diversion, and minimize the scope for malpractices in the system.
Sirsa stated that the department is already implementing several structural reforms, including large-scale verification of ration cardholders, removal of ineligible entries from the NFSA database, and enhanced real-time digital monitoring.
“We value the role of ration dealers as trusted partners in this delivery mechanism. Today’s dialogue marks another step toward collaborative governance and improved last-mile service,” the minister added.