Will you not get rations if your thumbprint isn't registered or a technical issue arises? Find out what to do in such a situation..

Will you not get rations if your thumbprint isn't registered or there is a technical issue? The National Food Security Scheme has been digitized to ensure the transparent delivery of free rations to the country's poor and needy. Biometric authentication (using the thumb) is now mandatory for collecting rations; this has curbed fraud and ensured that aid reaches genuine beneficiaries. While this new system makes ration distribution more secure and reliable, people sometimes face issues where their thumbprint is not recognized due to technical glitches, leading dealers to refuse the ration or ask them to return later. The Department of Food and Public Distribution has clarified the appropriate course of action in such situations.

In a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the Department of Food and Public Distribution stated that ration distribution will not be halted even if thumbprints fail to register or technical issues arise. Under Government of India regulations, rations will continue to be provided despite such technical difficulties. You can collect your ration using an Aadhaar OTP or an iris scan. Alternatively, you can obtain the grain by having the dealer make an entry in the manual register.

**How ​​to collect ration if the thumbprint fails:**
*   **Use OTP:** If fingerprints do not match, generate an OTP on the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar, enter it into the machine, and collect your ration.
*   **Iris Scan:** You can also authenticate via an iris scan, an option particularly suitable for the elderly or manual laborers.
*   **Another Family Member's Thumbprint:** If your thumbprint is not registering, you can collect the ration by using the fingerprint of another family member whose name is listed on the ration card.
*   **Aadhaar Biometric Update:** If fingerprint authentication fails repeatedly, visit an Aadhaar center to update your biometric details.

**Where to complain if the dealer refuses to provide rations?**
If a dealer refuses to provide rations or makes excuses, immediately lodge a complaint with the District Food and Supply Officer. Call the National Consumer Helpline number 1967 or the toll-free number of your state's Department of Food and Civil Supplies, or submit a grievance via the 'Online Grievance' option on nfsa.gov.in by selecting the relevant state and district. Additionally, in many states, you can also lodge a complaint through the Chief Minister's Helpline.arises? Find out what to do in such a situation.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from NDTV India. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.