Network issues mar Pongal gift distribution
Venkadesan.S@timesofindia.com 11.01.2026
Chennai : Network issues at public distribution shops (PDS) and inordinate delay in biometric recognition forced ration card holders to wait in long queues to get the state govt’s Pongal gift of ₹3,000 in cash, 1kg raw rice, 1kg sugar, and a stalk of sugarcane.
In many cases, people were asked to come back later. Chief minister M K Stalin, on Sunday, announced a Pongal gift of ₹3,000 to 2.23 crore ration card holders. Officials at cooperative societies said the dole was distributed to 78.30 lakh beneficiaries until 10am on Saturday. Ration card holders, however, narrated stories of how they were turned away in many places in the city after hours of waiting. “For most people, the system captures the fingerprints on the second or third attempt. But for some, it did not recognize them even after multiple attempts. We cannot hand over the Pongal gift and the cash without biometric confirmation. So, we ask them to come again during leisure hours,” said a salesman at a PDS shop in Anakaputhur in Tambaram corporation.
Initially, the salesmen were given two options to record the biometrics—through fingerprints or iris scan. However, supervisors said that the iris scan option was disabled, as it could further slow down the system. Sekar, a ration card holder, said he was asked to update the biometrics at Aadhaar centres. “Aadhaar centres claim it takes one month for the new fingerprints to be recorded in the UIDAI system. I visit the ration shop every day without any luck,” he said.
Supervisors blamed a slow server for the delay. “We were directed to speed up the cash distribution, but the system does not support it. We turn up early at shops and stay back beyond working hours. It still does not help,” said a supervisor.
