By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 14: The Meghalaya State Food Commission (MSFC) has called upon the state government to step up efforts in improving the percentage of Aadhaar seeding of ration card holders and beneficiaries in order to ensure transparency and efficiency in the Public Distribution System (PDS).
In its Annual Report for 2024-2025, the Commission underlined the importance of linking Aadhaar with ration cards to eliminate duplication and streamline the distribution of subsidised foodgrains. To this end, the government has initiated both publicity and awareness campaigns along with regional camps to promote Aadhaar seeding.
According to official data, there has been a noticeable increase in Aadhaar seeding when comparing the figures from March 31, 2024 to February 5, 2025. However, the Commission observed that the progress has still not reached the desired level.
The MSFC issued a set of directives to the Food and Civil Supplies department, covering multiple aspects of monitoring, awareness and system strengthening. Among the key recommendations are the development of a monitoring system to analyse secondary data sources such as vehicle registration and land purchase records to identify genuine beneficiaries while removing ineligible ones.
The Commission has also emphasised the need for generating public awareness about grievance redressal mechanisms set up by the government, such as MegPGRAMS and CM Connect, to ensure accountability and accessibility for citizens. It recommended the engagement of MECOFED as a wholesaler to operate storage godowns and distribute foodgrains to Fair Price Shops (FPS) where required.
Further, the report suggested organising refresher training programmes for Fair Price Shop dealers on ePoS device operations and Aadhaar seeding of beneficiaries. It also called for framing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the collection of food samples, training officials in proper monitoring, and reviewing existing SOPs prescribed for nodal officers.
Strengthening vigilance mechanisms formed another key area of focus.
The MSFC proposed reconstituting and activating vigilance committees with revised terms of reference.
It further directed the conduct of regular inspections of Fair Price Shops, renovation of godowns, and installation of permanent signage displaying beneficiary entitlements, as well as shop opening and closing timings in accordance with guidelines.
The Commission stressed that regional camps mandated under Section 14(b) of the Meghalaya State Food Commission Rules, 2014 (as amended in 2018), should be held in all districts to improve Aadhaar coverage. It also underscored the importance of continuous publicity campaigns to reach out to beneficiaries.
