CHENNAI: To reduce delays in ration distribution, the Tamil Nadu government has simplified the biometric verification process for ration cardholders, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

Earlier, beneficiaries had to register their fingerprints twice, once for central government-subsidized rice and again for state government-provided goods, which led to long waiting hours at ration shops.

In order to remedy this, the Food Supply and Consumer Protection Department has upgraded the electronic Point of Sale (POS) system. Following this, Priority Ration Card (PHR) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) holders need to provide only a single fingerprint or iris scan to receive both central and state-subsidized items.

The change has significantly reduced waiting times, allowing ration shops to serve 20–25 more beneficiaries per day. The new system ensures quicker service also maintains transparency in ration distribution.