Welcome to Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs

1. Welcome to Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs

2. Point of Sale (POS) device deployment at FPD

3. Background • The Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has embarked on a Comprehensive Computerization Project (CCP) with the primary goal of improving the targeting of benefits and streamlining the functioning of the Department. One of the key components of the project is Individual Beneficiary Tracking (IBT). • This system significantly reduce the dissipation of subsidy, it leaves some holes that can be used by unscrupulous FPD owners to siphon subsidy. • The cost of POS devices has come down and their reliability has improved significantly with widespread usage and robust technology. In the changed circumstances, it is worthwhile to explore the use of POS devices deployed at FPD for IBT.

4. FPS CITIZEN Citizens FCI FCI WSP Food grains Kerosene/ Sugar Factory Distribution System Challenges • Classic supply-chain and distribution Tracking system is non-existent • No quick information on grains availability at different levels

5. TARGETED PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Administrative set-up: Three tier system • Commissioner at State level • Deputy Commissioner at the district level • Tahsildar at the Taluk level

7. OUR EXPECTATION • Entitlement Communication – Soon after positive identification using fingerprint, the POS should speak out the quantity and issue price for the beneficiary. The POS can also be programmed to provide balance been entitlement in case the beneficiary has already done partial lifting of food grains where allowed. • Order Confirmation – The quantity that has ordered by the FPD owner should be repeated and confirmed by the Fingerprint of the beneficiary before the order is confirmed and receipt printing is enabled. • Sales Receipt – The sales receipt that is printed should provide details of the quantity and price and any other standard instructions to the beneficiary. • Apart from the food grain information, additional information on Department and Government schemes can also be communicated using the POS device and this can be customized to specific citizens.

8. The need to physically be present and provide the fingerprint will ensure that the food grains is delivered to the individual and practices such as pawning of cards and cashing of subsidy are all but eliminated Using a POS device the data is recorded electronically at source and data transfers are done without significant human interventions till they reach the central database. This ensures the highest quality and integrity of the IBT information and accuracy of the allotment process.

9. Book keeping • The FPD owner need not maintain any books once the POS system is implemented. As there receipt gets automatically printed, there is no need for writing and maintaining receipts. It is anticipated that the elimination of book keeping will speed up the issue process and more than compensate for the time spend in recording the issue on the POS.

10. Field Force Automation • There are around 500 Food Inspectors in the State who look after 30 – 40 FPD (the number varies on the area of operation). The PoS devices at the FPDs combined with a personal storage device such as a Flash Drive can provides computing and information storage retrieval capabilities for the FCS officials in the field, typically the food inspectors. The device is expected to perform a variety of functions including data entry, identity verification and location determination. • A significant number of tasks carried out by the Food Inspector can now be automated using the PoS device. The software can be designed to randomizing the inspection of giving instructions to the Food Inspector on dates, times and location of FPDs he must visit to examine and inspect the grains received, disbursed and general workings of the store. After inspection, he records the information on the PoS device with his biometric fingerprint and that is time stamped. • The Food Inspector have a tendency to not go to the FPD shops for inspection and instead claim of going to the FPD shop and forge the records. The problem has huge implications and does not allow for transparency and allows for fraud. The food inspector also relies on information supplied from friends and guesses are usually made on history and context. All this would need to be addressed in a manner that would allow for compliance and no option to fraud the system. • The process of inspection that can be adopted in a PoS enabled system is described below:

12. FPD Activity Tracking • The key FPD parameters such as opening time, closing time and other activities can be tracked automatically and reported on a monthly basis. This data can be effectively used to redress grievances and complaints from citizens in the area. The person who carries out the activities at the FPD can also be tracked

13. INFORMATION Wholesale Nominees : • Foodgrains: 270 - Wholesale Nominees • Kerosene : 355 –Wholesale Nominees Retailers: • Foodgrains:Total :20,000 Kerosene retailers :5,740 • Number of ration cards not less than 300 in rural areas and 500 in urban areas.

14. Scale of Issue & Rate • AAY : 28 kg rice @ Rs 3/- per kg 7 kg wheat @ Rs 2/- per kg • BPL : unit system : 4 kg rice & 1 kg wheat per unit @ Rs 3/- per kg ( max. 20 kg rice + 5 kg wheat per card) Kerosene: Rural areas:5 liters, Urban Areas:7 liters Informal Rationing Areas:8 liters Retail Issue Price: Rs.9.30 to Rs.10.50 per litre APL • Non-gas cardholder is entitled to kerosene.

15. THANK YOU