Kozhikode: A technical snag in regularizing the card numbers in the E-PoS machines delayed the distribution of food kits at ration shops in many parts of the state, it is reported. Food kits distribution for BPL card holders through ration shops started the other day.

On the first day, it was decided to distribute the kit to those having ‘0’ as the last digit of the card number. Hence, only 10 to 15 kits only could be distributed a day. Following a complaint from the ration shop owners, in the afternoon, card numbers ending with ‘1’ were also fed to the machine.

Though many arrived at the shops and bought the kit. But on Tuesday, the second day, card numbers ending with 2 and 3 could be fed to the machine only by afternoon. Now, those with card numbers ending with 2, who had reached the shops for the kit earlier, had to come again and buy it.

Shop owners complained that many created issues regarding this and even alleged deliberate delaying of the distribution. Earlier the schedule was April 27th -0, 28th -1, 29th -2, 30th -3, May 2nd -4, 3rd -5, 4th -6, 5th -7, 6th -8 and 7th -9. However, the new schedule is April 27th -0,1, 28th – 2,3, 29th -4,5, 30th – 6,7 and May 2nd – 8,9. But this has not been conveyed to consumers officially, shop owners said.

Though food kits had reached the shops by April 22nd for distribution, it was then postponed to April 27th.  This has led to the items being damaged. Since soaps are stored in the kit together with food items, the odour spreads and also some insects destroy the materials inside, shop owners complained.

Also as the kits accumulate, other materials like rice sacks can’t be unloaded in the ration shops. But we face pressure from warehouses to clear the stock, they further complained.

In places like Wayanad, the kits had reached ration shops much earlier. Shop owners demanded feeding the card numbers to E-PoS machine at once and distribution of kits via voluntary groups.