Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have firmly dismissed widespread social media claims alleging that ration cardholders must purchase a new mobile handset to receive free foodgrains. Anil Kumar, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, confirmed that the government has introduced no such mandate. Beneficiaries under the public distribution network will continue receiving their entitled provisions through the regular biometric verification channels without any requirement to purchase mobile devices or complete mandatory one-time password checks.
Smooth Execution Under The National Food Security Act
Commissioner Anil Kumar stressed that the distribution of free foodgrains across the state continues smoothly under the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013. The reports circulating across online platforms asserting that cardholders must buy new phones and verify OTPs prior to receiving provisions were termed completely baseless and misleading. The department emphasized that the primary goal remains ensuring a transparent, accessible, and beneficiary-focused public distribution system that delivers the designated grain quota to every eligible household without administrative hurdles.
Biometric Authentication Via Electronic Point Of Sale Devices
Fair price shops across Uttar Pradesh utilize Electronic Point of Sale machines to distribute foodgrains through Aadhaar-based biometric authentication. During the transaction, the beneficiary's biometric data is captured on the device and validated against the UIDAI central server. Once the identity match is verified, the shopkeeper immediately dispenses the authorized quantity of grains assigned to that ration card. If biometric authentication fails during the initial scan, the system allows the beneficiary two additional verification attempts on the same day.
Iris Scanning And Backup Options For Family Members
In cases where all three fingerprint attempts fail, fair price shops activate an iris scanning procedure for Aadhaar verification. When the iris scan successfully matches server records, the beneficiary receives their grain allocation without delay. Furthermore, if an individual fails to authenticate after three fingerprint attempts and one iris scan, the policy ensures the household is not left without supplies. Any other listed family member included on the same ration card can complete the standard verification procedure and collect the allocated foodgrains.
Alternative OTP Access Reserved Strictly For Special Circumstances
The core philosophy of the National Food Security Act, 2013 is safeguarding food security for every entitled citizen. Guided by this priority, an alternative OTP-based distribution window exists exclusively for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and individuals suffering from severe medical conditions who cannot physically undergo fingerprint or iris scanning. For these eligible cardholders, foodgrains are distributed on the final day of each distribution cycle using a one-time password sent to the mobile number already registered on the department's official portal. The Food Commissioner reiterated that this is an accommodation for specific hardship situations, not a mandatory protocol for the general population.
