Ration Shops

Fair price shops dealers held a protest here at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday demanding a minimum income guarantee of Rs 50,000 per month and a continued supply of food grains under the old Prime Minister's Garib Kalyan yojana (PMGKY) Scheme. The protesters from All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation (AIFPSF) had come from different states and gathered at Jantar Mantar. The body's national general secretary Biswambhar Basu said that they demand a continued supply of food grains under the old PMGKY scheme as before and a minimum monthly income guarantee of Rs 50,000. The organisation came with a roster of 11 demands in all. Among its other demands were a minimum margin of Rs 764 only per quintal and allowing the fair price shop dealers in rural areas to function as direct procurement agents (DPA) for rice and wheat.

Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra on Wednesday said the government is exploring various options to make ration shops vibrant, modern and viable by enabling them to offer more products and services apart from running PDS operations. The food ministry on Wednesday held a workshop in the national capital to deliberate upon further initiatives to make fair price shops (FPS) more vibrant and a more financially viable organisation. The secretary stressed that fair price shops should move with time and become "modern outlets" and said these ration shops dealers can start functioning as common service centres (CSCs). Already 60,000 dealers have become CSCs and they could also be banking correspondents. The Centre has written to States to allow ration shop dealers to keep non-PDS items such as FMCG products and many states have already allowed, he said. To reduce the transport cost and save in food subsidy, Chopra said the government has engaged IIT Delhi and World Food Programme for ...

Food distribution decision will be tough to reverse

Sugarcane farmers of Tamil Nadu have demanded that the state government procure sugarcane directly from the farmers and distribute it through ration shops during Pongal

Besides banking correspondent services through tie-ups with banks, the shops will be allowed to sell other commodities and general store items

The program, which started since April 2020 to help feed the poor during a harsh Covid-19 lockdown, allows 5 kilograms of food grains per person every month

The Centre on Friday launched a common registration facility in 11 states and UTs to enable homeless people, destitutes, migrants and other eligible beneficiaries to apply for ration cards. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) provides a maximum coverage for about 81.35 crore persons. At present, around 79.77 crore persons are given highly subsidised foodgrains under the Act. So, 1.58 crore more beneficiaries can be added. Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said the 'Common Registration Facility' (My Ration-My Right) has been launched on Friday, aimed at helping States and UTs in expeditiously identifying the eligible beneficiaries and issuing ration cards to such people so that they can avail their legal entitlement under the NFSA. The secretary also informed that in the last 7-8 years, around 4.7 crore ration cards, involving an estimated 18-19 crore beneficiaries, have been cancelled because of various reasons. New cards are also issued by the states and UTs to eligible beneficiari

Centre's decision comes hours after UP government, under CM Yogi Adityanath, decided to continue the free ration scheme for another 3 months

The Committee note that allocation of funds - in respect of food subsidy during 2021-22 is Rs 2,90,573.11 crore but actual expenditure as on February 11, 2022, is Rs 2,20,445.61 crore only

A crucial safety net, the food subsidy is used to protect farmers against low market prices and provide consumers with affordable food grains through the public distribution system (PDS)

Yogi made the remarks in reference to the free ration and the vaccine provided by the Central government during the pandemic

The Delhi government has asked officials to transfer excess ration at fair price shops in different zones of the city to those nearby FPS where the ration is required or can be accommodated

The Supreme Court refused to entertain the Centre's plea against the Delhi High Court order directing the AAP government not to stop or curtail the supply of foodgrains or flour to fair price shops

Move meant to increase financial viability of fair-price shops

Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain on Wednesday reviewed the pendency of applications for new ration cards and addition of beneficiaries in existing ration cards in the national capital, according to a statement by the government. During a meeting with the commissioner (F&S) and senior officials of the food and civil supplies department, Hussain said identification of eligible households was being processed and new ration cards would be issued on a first in, first out basis. The minister also reviewed the distribution of free ration items under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) beneficiaries and the progress of distribution of food grains to non-PDS beneficiaries, who do not hold any ration card in Delhi, the statement said. Hussain said directions have been issued to ensure that no public distribution system (PDS) beneficiary is deprived of ration items due to biometric failures, especially since ration shops

Chairing the 37th PRAGATI meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reviewed eight projects having a cumulative cost of Rs 1.26 lakh crore and spanned over 14 states as well as the 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme. While reviewing the ONORC scheme, he asked officials to explore the multiple utilities of the technological platform developed under the programme to ensure the provision of a wide array of benefits to the citizens, the PMO said. Commenting on the projects, Modi stressed on the significance of their timely completion. PRAGATI is the acronym for the ICT-based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, involving the Centre and state governments. Among the eight projects, three each were from the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and two were from the Ministry of Power. The states covered under them are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana,

Kejriwal asked PM Modi why the doorstep ration delivery scheme by his government was stalled by the Centre and appealed to him to allow its implementation in the national interest

Centre asked the govts to keep ration shops, also called fair price shops, open for a longer duration and on all days to ensure timely and safe distribution of both subsidised and free foodgrains

All states have been asked to take foodgrains from the Centre in advance for distribution through the PDS

Wheat and rice are being sold through PDS at a highly subsidised rate of Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg