CHENNNAI: The Tamil Nadu Cooperation Department has directed all District Collectors to expedite the collection of e-KYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) details of beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by conducting special enrolment camps across the State.
In a letter addressed to all District Collectors, Registrar of Cooperative Societies K Latha said beneficiaries holding Priority Household (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cards should complete their e-KYC verification through fair price shops.
Pointing out that the Union government had earlier fixed June 2026 as the deadline for completing the exercise, the Registrar urged District Collectors to treat the matter as a priority and accelerate the process.
Registrar of Cooperative Societies K Latha urged District Collectors to treat the matter as a priority and accelerate the process
The letter highlighted that biometric authentication for e-KYC registration has become difficult in some cases, particularly for manual labourers whose fingerprints have worn down due to the nature of their work. It also highlighted challenges in capturing biometric details of children below the age of five.
To improve coverage, the Registrar instructed District Collectors to organise special camps to facilitate e-KYC registration for Priority Household (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries.
Officials said the exercise is being carried out in view of the Union government's proposed amendments to the National Food Security Act. The e-KYC verification is expected to help ensure the effective implementation of the revised provisions of the National Food Security Act and enable the targeted delivery of food grains to eligible beneficiaries.
The department has asked district administrations to closely monitor the progress of the exercise and ensure that all eligible beneficiaries complete the e-KYC process at the earliest.
The Union government has warned States that failure to complete 100 per cent e-KYC verification could lead to disruption in Central subsidies and affect the allocation of rice and wheat under the NFSA.
Tamil Nadu has been carrying out the e-KYC verification drive through fair price shops since October 2023 and has now instructed district administrations to expedite the remaining verification by organising special camps.