The Centre is unhappy with the Assam government’s alleged failure to implement the ambitious One Nation One Ration Card system.

The system enables migratory ration card holders or beneficiaries to get their entitled foodgrains from fair price shops (FPS) of their choice anywhere in the country by using their existing ration card issued in their home states or Union Territories after biometric or Aadhaar authentication on electronic point of sale devices (ePoS) installed at the FPSs.

At present, the facility is available for beneficiaries of 12 states only. The Centre has set the target of making the system functional in the remaining states and Union Territories before June this year.

Dispur is yet to install ePoS devices in its fair price shops citing financial crisis. It had sought funds from the North Eastern Council (NEC) but in vain.

Union minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution Ram Vilas Paswan recently wrote to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal reminding him about the state’s unpreparedness for implementing the system and sought his personal intervention.

“I would like to highlight that some key components of PDS (public distribution system) reforms like installation of ePoS devices at all FPSs for transparent distribution of foodgrains to beneficiaries in the state is yet to be completed in your state,” the letter said.

He sought Sonowal’s personal intervention “to complete the pending activity in a time-bound manner while keeping in consideration to start the national portability of ration cards for the benefit of beneficiaries of your state before June 2020”.

Sources in Dispur said if the system is started, food distribution through FPSs will be transparent and the Centre will be able keep track of all transactions.

Assam had made its first move to install ePoS in 2018 and floated first e-tender in July 2018, seeking parties to provide e-PoS devices. But it hit a deadlock because of financial constraint.

“The finance department said the state had no resources to support the system and requested the state food and civil supply department to approach the Centre. When the food and civil supply department approached the Centre, the latter advised it to approach the NEC. But the NEC regretted its inability to provide funds due to shortage in budget. The Centre is irked at the Assam government’s inability to implement the scheme,” a source said, adding that the state government would require nearly Rs 90 crore a year to implement the system.