Chandigarh, May 16 (IANS) Ration card holders in Haryana will now have smart cards to ensure transparency in allocations under the public distribution system (PDS), a senior official said Monday.

 
 The Haryana government has decided to replace ration cards issued to the consumers with smart cards, said Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Food and Supplies) Navraj Sandhu.
 
 The work to prepare smart cards would commence from May 27 and 54 lakh families in Haryana will be covered under it, she said, adding Haryana would be the first state in the country to have this facility.
 
 "Initially, it would be started in four blocks of Ambala, Sonepat, Sirsa and Gharaunda on pilot basis," she said.
 
 Unique Identification Card (UIC) of the people in all age groups would also be prepared along with smart cards and the smart cards would eventually be linked with the UIC, she added.
 
 The central government has sanctioned over Rs.137.6 crore for the first phase of the smart cards project.
 
 The details and biometrics of all ration card holders would be recorded for preparing the smart cards.
 
 "While taking ration from the depot, the consumer would have to insert the smart card in a machine at the ration depot which would let him know the quantity of ration allotted and its price. On the basis of this data, the depot holder would give rations to the consumer," Sandhu said.