Civil Supplies Minister Directs 15-Day Monthly Operation For Ration Shops In North Andhra
The minister mandated that ration shops operate for 15 days each month and provide home delivery services for senior citizens and disabled individuals over 65 years old from the 26 to 30 of every month.
Visakhapatnam: Minister of civil supplies Nadendla Manohar has emphasised the need to improve public distribution services.
Speaking during a regional meeting with officials from North Andhra districts at the Visakhapatnam collectorate on Tuesday, Manohar stressed that the civil supplies department must deliver services that gain public support and instructed the officials to consider field conditions while ensuring proper inter-departmental coordination.
The minister mandated that ration shops operate for 15 days each month and provide home delivery services for senior citizens and disabled individuals over 65 years old from the 26 to 30 of every month.
The minister instructed officials to set up flexi sheets containing detailed information and QR codes at local ration shops to improve communication with beneficiaries. He stressed the importance of ensuring that goods are available to people on schedule, with clear details accessible through the digital resources.
Regarding gas cylinder delivery, the minister warned that strict measures would be taken against dealers if their delivery staff found collecting unauthorised fees from customers. He directed authorities to take immediate action if gas subsidy payments are not credited into the beneficiaries’ accounts.
The meeting also reviewed the execution of the Deepam-2 scheme. The minister sought a collaborative effort to resolve technical issues in Phase-3 and to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries obtain benefits from the scheme.
The minister mentioned that full grain procurement took place in previous seasons, resulting in Rs 12,000 crore being paid to farmers.
He directed joint collectors of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts to develop plans for incorporating locally produced grain into midday meal schemes and to submit proposals accordingly.
The minister clarified that ration shop operators are prohibited from charging any extra fees beyond their authorised commission and encouraged the use of digital payment systems.
He also ordered increased monitoring to prevent the illegal transportation of ration rice and directed that old rice stock at schools and Mobile Dispensing Units (MDUs) should be held back until the arrival of new ration rice.
