NASHIK: Various ration card holders in the district are suffering immensely as 2,609 e-POS machines in the district are either shut or functioning slowly for the past several days as the servers are down. As a result, many beneficiaries were deprived of foodgrains.

However, with the version 3.1 update, the situation will be smooth soon across the state, District Supply Officer Anand Narsikar informed. The problem with e-POS machines is not limited to the district but across the entire state. A strategic decision will be made in this regard. Narsikar also informed us that he will hold talks about extending the deadline for grain distribution.

The distribution of foodgrains was shut in the district for the past fifteen days as the e-POS machines’ server was down. Many fights among the beneficiaries and shopkeepers came to the fore as the former weren’t getting their monthly designated ration in time.

Food grains are distributed monthly through the National Food Security Scheme. However, as the machines slowed down and didn’t respond, beneficiaries suffered from a lack of foodgrains.

In the meantime, the supply department updated the software in the machine. However, then the issue of thumb scanning of beneficiaries on the server machine remained unsolved.

Beneficiaries were upset as they were not getting food even after standing in line for hours outside ration shops. The villagers in rural areas suffered the most.

Even shopkeepers faced several difficulties as they had to argue with beneficiaries regularly. Ration shopkeepers were dissatisfied as there was no improvement in the machines even after complaining to the supply department. However, with the latest version, things will get better for both parties soon.