An impressive 60% of 3,44,316 family cardholders in the district have been distributed smart cards, replacing the existing book type ration cards, Collector S Natarajan has announced.
After distribution of the smart family cards was launched in April, the district administration has so far distributed 2,03,775 smart card to the card holders after they surrendered their old cards.
The smart cardholders could avail a host of services online by visiting the website www.tnpds.gov.in, the Collector said. They need not visit the offices to avail services such as deletion and inclusion of names, change of head of family, change of address, surrender of ration card, applying for new ration card and change of mobile number. They could avail these services by visiting the nearest e-service centres, he added.
The cardholders could also know the stock position in the ration shops, availability of essentials, whether the shop is opened or not and details of essentials items bought by them by downloading TNePDS mobile app, he said.
A highest number of 51,434 smart cards were distributed in Paramakudi block, followed by 36,942 cards in Ramanathapuram, 30,338 cards in Thiruvadanai, 22,792 in Kadaladi, 21,905 in Kamudhi, 21,672 in Mudukulathur, 20,461 in Kilakarai and 10,181 cards in Rameswaram blocks, he said.
A total of 58,419 existing old cards could not be immediately replaced with smart cards for want of various details with regard to the family members of the cardholders, he said. The requisite details were being updated in the network and once the exercise was completed, they would be issued smart cards, he added.
The objective of the smart cards was to ensure transparency in the public distribution system, the Collector said. Cardholders could avail services using the cards in 334 e-service centres in the district, he said.
