The public distribution in the State has plunged into a crisis owing to a server glitch in the online system that facilitates the operation of e-PoS (electronic point of sale) machines at ration outlets.
With the snag having persisted for four days, a section of the ration dealers downed their shutters and suspended ration supply on Tuesday.
In most parts of the State, ration cardholders were forced to wait for as long as half-an-hour to receive their allocation since Friday. Several beneficiaries also returned empty-handed after waiting outside ration shops for long hours in certain areas. There has been considerable uptick in beneficiary inflow presumably to receive the additional allocation of half-a-litre of kerosene this month.
Ration dealers claimed the e-PoS machines have gone offline frequently especially during the early hours of sale. They also alleged that the authorities have been unresponsive despite repeated pleas.
All Kerala Retail Ration Dealers’ Association general secretary T. Muhammedali said there have been instances of the public getting agitated at ration dealers for no fault of theirs. In some places, the e-PoS machines have recorded the biometric data of beneficiaries, but went offline before the receipts could be printed.
“Under the circumstances, it has become difficult to run the ration outlets before a permanent solution has been found to the problem,” he said.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil attributed the problem to a glitch in the central server of the State Data Centre. The snag has affected the functioning of various departments. “The issue has been taken up with the IT Mission Director. Efforts are under way to resolve the glitch,” he said.
The Minister, however, took umbrage at the decision to shut down ration outlets. He alleged there have been constant attempts to malign the department and impede its activities to modernise the public distribution system for the benefit of the public.
