A PDS beneficiary gets the smart card only when the correct details are uploaded on time. There are thousands still waiting for the card, clueless as to what had gone wrong. Some cards were blocked during the bogus card weeding out exercise.
There are cards pending for more details. Then there are problems of wrong phone number, and incorrect spellings.
Though the distribution of the PDS smart cards is on, there are beneficiaries who receive text messages that they have purchased the ration product even when they have not so.
The Hindu looks at some of the issues faced by beneficiaries in Coimbatore.
Ayyammal (62), eatery worker
“I live in Anupparpalayam in Kattoor area and work at a hotel. I lost my husband 10 years ago and my daughter is in another town.
I am yet to get the smart card. When I approached the officials, they said that I did not upload Aadhaar details before the deadline. Now, I am unable to draw the monthly ration. I have applied for a new card through the salesman of the ration shop.”
Ravi (42), a tea shop owner
Ravi was in Chennai for the treatment of his 12-year-old differently abled daughter for two months and was hence unable to purchase items at the PDS outlet.
His card was blocked and so he could not get the smart card too.
R. Thangavel (52)
He got the smart card after a year and his wife's name was entered wrongly.
Instead of Pushpa, my wife's name was printed as Jayalakshmi in the card.
When I contacted the ration shop at Vellalore, the distributor said that records with the Public Distribution System had the correct name and hence there would not be any problem.
So far, I have not faced any problem in buying the items too.
Spelling errors were common on many cards. The place name Vellalore was printed wrongly as 'Velloor' and 'Vellavalore' on several smart cards.
Kumar (70)
I am yet to get the card as the mobile phone numbers of my wife has not been added in the Aadhaar.
Last month, though I did not buy the ration supply, I got a message that I have purchased sugar.
I want to enter the phone number at the earliest but there are not many centres to add details in Aadhaar.
