Parliament Question: Efficiency of PDS and Issues with ePoS Machines

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3134 TO BE ANSWERED ON lITll MARCH, 2026 EFFICIENCY OF PDS AND ISSUES WITH EPOS MACHINES 3134. MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE: Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state: (a): the steps taken by the Government to enhance the efficiency of the Public Distribution System (PDS) across the country, particularly in addressing frequent technical glitches and downtimes in Electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) machines; and (b): the number of complaints registered regarding ePoS machine failures in the last three years along with the measures implemented to ensure seamless Aadhaar-enabled authentication and biometric verification for beneficiaries, State/UT-wise? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA) (a): For addressing frequent technical glitches and downtimes in Electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) machines, whenever such issues are reported by the State Governments, this Department takes up the matter with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and resolves the same in coordination with them (b): No such State-wise reports of complaints registered regarding ePoS machine failures in the last three years have been received in this Department. All States/UTs have been categorically advised that no beneficiary or household shall be denied their entitled quantity of subsidised foodgrains due to failure of biometric or Aadhaar authentication arising from network connectivity issues, technical reasons, Aadhaar linking issues, or poor biometric quality. States/UTs have been instructed to follow alternative and exception handling mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted access to foodgrains. Se SeX +c see