Biometric billing service in PDS shops coming soon

The scheme is ready for trial run and in all probability it will be dovetailed with the introduction of smart cards on April 1, officials added. 

This was informed by the department officials following allegations of complaints about bills not being issued for the commodities purchased at the fair price shops. While T Prem of Shanti Nagar near Vysarpadi said “though I get details on my mobile about the purchases, I am still given two bills, one for myself and the other to be given to the salesman who measures the commodities.” But Madhu, a housewife of Kolathur, contradicted him by saying “no bills are given in the shops in our area as we get details on our smart phones.” 

Civil Supplies officials said that bills would be generated on mobile phones as currently there was no facility to provide hand written bills. But officials were unable to explain how a person who had no Aadhar or mobile phone would be billed other than to say that “on no account would essential commodities be refused for consumers.” 

They pointed out that biometric billing was necessary to ensure that commodities reached bona fide consumers. 

In this system, “a person would have to authorise the purchase with his biometric details on a special machine which would then generate the bill. This can be used as acceptable evidence in cases of complaints over non-provision or diversion of commodities,” the officials added.