Chennai, Aug 29 (IANS) A special statewide camp will be held at all ration shops in Tamil Nadu on Saturday to help beneficiaries complete fingerprint authentication linked to their electronic family cards, the State government has announced.
The camp will function from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 29, with officials urging ration card holders who have not yet recorded their fingerprints to use the opportunity and complete the process at their respective fair price shops.
In an official release, the government said the Centre had directed states to carry out biometric verification of every beneficiary linked to an electronic ration card.
The exercise covers beneficiaries under the priority household category as well as those holding Antyodaya Anna Yojana cards, in accordance with the National Food Security Act.
The verification is intended to confirm the Aadhaar particulars of eligible beneficiaries and ensure that subsidised foodgrains and other essential commodities supplied through the Public Distribution System reach the intended recipients.
Following the Central government’s direction, Tamil Nadu began fingerprint authentication of family members in October 2023.
Instructions were issued to ration shop personnel to carry out the exercise without disrupting the regular distribution of essential commodities or causing inconvenience to card holders.
According to the government, biometric authentication has so far been completed for 96.21 per cent of beneficiaries covered by priority ration cards.
The special camp has now been organised to cover the remaining beneficiaries and achieve 100 per cent completion across the State.
Officials clarified that the camp is primarily meant for members whose fingerprints have not been captured or authenticated so far.
Such beneficiaries have been asked to visit a nearby ration shop during the designated hours and register their fingerprints.
The government appealed to families to ensure that all pending members complete the mandatory verification at the earliest.
Beneficiaries may approach ration shop employees for assistance with the procedure during the camp.
By conducting the exercise simultaneously at every fair price shop, the authorities expect to make biometric registration easily accessible and avoid the need for beneficiaries to make repeated visits.
The government said cooperation from card holders would help complete the authentication drive and facilitate the effective delivery of benefits under the food security programme without further delay.
–IANS
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