Comat Technologies, a company engaged in rural service delivery, has commenced distribution of digitised ration cards across several districts in Karnataka. The process is expected to conclude by the end of 2009, making Karnataka the first state in the country to digitise ration cards.
An official of Comat said that so far, 2 million cards have been distributed and over 9 million cards are expected to be distributed by the end of 2009, which could benefit nearly 45 million people. Close to 400 teams have been deployed for the distribution under which work is in their various stages in various taluks of the state.
At the end of the distribution, the company is looking to set up permanent centres for updating information and maintaining the database. Around 200 such centres will be set up; one in each taluk. Comat has a five year contract with the government for setting up and maintaining the digitised ration card system.
The digital ration card is a laminated smart card with a barcode which will contain biometric information of the family members. Each fair price shop will have a hand-held device where the card will be fed and data on the family will be displayed. Based on this data, the allotment of foodgrains will be made.
Comat Technologies had entered into an MoU with the Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Government of Karnataka in 2006. The aim of the MoU was to improve the efficiency of foodgrain distribution by incorporating technology to arrest leakages in the system and eliminate bogus and duplicate beneficiaries. The cost of the project is Rs 90-100 crore.
Under the project, biometric details and particulars of each family is noted and a ration card is issued to each family.