AP to Resume Supply of Essentials at Ration Shops from Today
Revenue, civil supplies and legal metrology teams inspect outlets to check the functional status of their equipment
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government is going to resume delivery of essential commodities, like rice, sugar and dals, at fair price shops beginning from Sunday, June 1, replacing the supply through Mobile Dispensing Units (MDUs). Ahead of this, teams of officials drawn from revenue, civil supplies and legal metrology departments inspected the ration shops to check the functioning status of their electronic point of sale systems (e-POS) and weighing machines, among others, to make them functional by Sunday.
There are 29,796 fair price shops in the state. Legal metrology department has formed 140 teams comprising officials and representatives of agencies dealing with e-POS and weighing machines. The teams checked the functioning of e-POS, including biometrics like thumb impression, internet connectivity, and other technical details. For example, a family of four members is authorised to get 20 kg of rice at the rate of five kg per person. The e-POS connected to the weighing machine checks the quantum to suit the size of the family. The teams also checked in case there are any errors in calibration of the weight of essential commodities to ensure there are no deviations in delivery to beneficiaries, whether less or more.
Legal Metrology joint controller B. Ram Kumar said, “We have completed inspection of e-POS and weighing machines to the extent of 90 per cent. Our teams are still continuing their inspection to ensure proper functioning of machines for the benefit of both dealers and beneficiaries.”
Similarly, nearly 400 teams of officials drawn from civil supplies and revenue are inspecting the fair price shops to find out whether they are able to serve the beneficiaries properly. Hitherto, these shops had got reduced to godowns, with MDUs playing a key role in supplying essentials to beneficiaries.
Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan slammed the previous YSR Congress government for purchasing the mobile ration dispensing vehicles at a cost of Rs.1,600 crore. Despite this, the previous government failed to deliver essential commodities to beneficiaries properly. Instead, the rice meant for distribution to the public got diverted to the market.
Pawan Kalyan pointed out that he succeeded in checking the illegal diversion of PDS rise to the ports at Kakinada and Visakhapatnam.
As per the Deputy CM, essential commodities will be supplied at fair price shops from 1st to 15th of every month. The fair price shop dealers will have to display boards before the shops with details of the essential commodities and their price to ensure transparency; except for rice, which is supplied free of cost.
The government has issued directions to dealers to run the shops between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon and from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Between 12:00 noon and from 4:00 p.m., the dealers are expected to go to the houses of beneficiaries aged above 65 years and those suffering with physical disabilities for delivering the essential commodities at their doorsteps.
