In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department of Odisha government has exempted the use of biometric mode for Aadhaar authentication during the distribution of PDS to the beneficiaries in the state.
In an order addressed to all the collectors, commissioner-cum-secretary to government Vir Vikram Yadav said, "Keeping in view the ongoing severity of COVID-19 pandemic, it has been decided to exempt bio-metric mode of Aadhaar authentication using the fingerprint scanner and IRIS device during the distribution of PDS commodities through e-PoS device at Fair Price shop until further order."
Yadav added that "Necessary instructions shall be issued to all the field functionaries and the fair price shop dealers to continue with the distribution through e-PoS devices only in automated mode by maintaining social distancing and following other COVID-19 advisories."
( With inputs from ANI )