Agencies

The black marketing of government rations will now be completely stopped in Jammu and Kashmir. Consumers will be able to get ration only after putting thumb in POS (Point of Sale) machines. Also, its data will also go to the online department. This will prevent black marketing.

The Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has completed 80 per cent linking of Aadhaar with POS machines. Only consumers linked to Aadhaar in machines will be able to take ration. For this, consumers have to provide their finger print in the machine. The POS machine will connect to the Internet. Currently only 2G internet services are restored in the state, so the work of Aadhaar link is being done at a slow pace.

Ration is being distributed on ration cards in the state. Ration is being sent by the government to the depot, but the eligible people are not able to get the ration. The situation in cities is that other ineligible people, including ration dhabas and shops, go black. At the same time, ration in rural areas is being sold more in black. The department is now going to introduce POS system to stop black marketing of grains. Only Aadhaar Link consumers will be eligible to take ration.

Department officials claim that by the end of March, consumers will be linked to Aadhaar and ration will be given through the new system as soon as internet services are restored.