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Smart cards could be used for distribution of grain in India
17 Jan 2011

Smart card technology could be used to ensure the fair distribution of grain in India, according to a government report.

The Indian Prime Minister's expert committee, headed by chairman C Rangarajan, has claimed that new biometric cards could replace the traditional ration cards to ensure grain is equally distributed among citizens.

"As an alternative to the existing public distribution system (PDS) we may switch over to the use of smart cards which simply means that the food subsidy may be directly transferred to the beneficiaries instead of to the owners of PDS stores," the committee said in its report, according to the Hindustan Times.

The body added that the proposed system would allow consumers to move around the country without fear of losing their entitlement to rations.

A number of states in India, such as Chattisgarh, Chandigarh and Haryana, have already begun trialling a similar smart card-based system in certain districts.