Smart Cards: Priority for left out cardholders

Kamaraj, who chaired a high-level meeting of District Supply Officials from across the state and zonal officials of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, reviewed the state’s ambitious ‘Smart Card’ initiative.

He said the project was a first-of-its-kind in the country. “It was launched at a cost of over Rs 330 crore by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in April last, and the project has reached its completion stage,” Kamaraj said.

Asked why 100 per cent coverage was not possible, Kamaraj said the rolls of the PDS are updated in real time as applications for new cards, deletions and additions are received everyday.

On family cards which are yet to be converted into Smart Cards due to lack of proper address, contact number, Aadhaar number, among other things, Kamaraj said the supply of commodities would not be stopped. “The department would prioritise those cards and would issue them Smart Cards,” he added.

He said over 1,000 defaulters involved in smuggling of goods meant for the PDS were detained under the Goondas Act in the past 6 years. “This has been acting as a deterrent, and the state would intensify its action on those indulging in illegal activities,” he warned.