The government has altered the procedure for ration distribution, causing inconvenience for recipients. This change accompanies the ongoing rice distribution drive, which started on June 1st to provide three months’ worth of rice in advance. The new regulations now necessitate that ration distribution be authorized by an OTP sent to a beneficiary’s mobile device, replacing the thumb impression verification method.
Recipients are now required to provide the OTP received on their mobile device to obtain their ration. This has created challenges for those who do not have a mobile phone linked to their Aadhaar card when visiting the ration shop. They are compelled to phone home to secure the OTP, which has led to delays. As a result of the new OTP requirement, public service centers are witnessing increased crowds as people seek to link their Aadhaar numbers to their mobile phones to fulfill the updated prerequisites.