Lucknow: To check misuse of food supplies at anganwadi and mini-anganwadi centres, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to implement a biometric system for food distribution under the supplementary nutrition scheme.
The proposal for ‘poshahar’ distribution through ePOS machines under the supplementary nutrition programme to ensure that nobody can take the food supply meant for beneficiaries has been approved by the cabinet.
The Uttar Pradesh Development System Corporation Limited (UPDESCO) has been nominated as the executive body for the installation and operation of e-POS machines.
Under the supplementary nutrition scheme, food is being provided to children from six months to six years, including highly malnourished children, pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls aged between 14 and 18 in aspirational districts.
The UPDESCO has been made responsible for preparing the request for proposal (RFP) through e-tendering along with the tender for the installation of e-POS machines. The process is being conducted through the UP government’s e-procurement portal.
A purchasing committee headed by the UPDESCO director will be formed. The selected system integrator organisations will need to provide e-POS machine software applications, iris identification, field-level manpower, technical manpower and mobile SIM cards along with their maintenance for three years.
This project will be run on a system integrator-based build, own and operate model.
An official said that adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women are capable of self-biometric authentication and will receive their poshahar after Aadhaar-based authentication.
