Immediately rectify any shortcomings at ration shops, Minister instructs officials.
Chennai. Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, P. Venkataramanan, issued important directives to officials on Thursday while inspecting Fair Price Shops. He emphasized that any shortages in the state’s ration shops must be rectified immediately and that essential commodities should be made available to the public on time, in the correct quantities, and of good quality.
Minister P. Venkataramanan visited a Fair Price Shop run by the Thiruvallikeni Urban Cooperative Society in the Kannammapettai area of Chennai. During the inspection, he assessed the shop’s operations and inquired about the availability, quality, weight, and distribution process of essential items provided to family cardholders.
The Minister also sought details regarding the stock levels at the ration shops. He directed officials to ensure the continuous availability of rice, sugar, pulses, and other essential goods so that no beneficiary faces any inconvenience.
He stated that the objective of the Public Distribution System is to deliver essential commodities to poor and needy families; therefore, any negligence in the ration distribution system would not be tolerated. All officials and staff must ensure that family cardholders receive the prescribed quantities of high-quality goods.
The Minister instructed the ration shop staff to maintain transparency during the distribution of goods. He emphasized that issuing a sales receipt to every beneficiary after the transaction is mandatory. This practice would bring transparency to the distribution process and inform people about their rights.
He further directed officials to treat visitors to the ration shops courteously and to resolve their grievances promptly. Immediate action must be taken if any complaints arise regarding shortages, weighing discrepancies, or the quality of goods.
The Public Distribution System in Tamil Nadu has long played a vital role for poor and middle-class families. The state government provides subsidized food grains and other essential commodities to lakhs of family cardholders. Consequently, the government continues to prioritize the monitoring of ration shops. Officials from the concerned department and employees of the cooperative society were present during the Minister’s inspection. He examined the stock registers, distribution records, and other documents maintained at the shop. Instructions were issued to the officials to ensure that all records are kept updated regularly.
Minister P. Venkataramanan stated that the benefits of government schemes must reach the public directly. To achieve this, it is essential that personnel working at the grassroots level discharge their responsibilities with utmost integrity. He warned that action would be taken against anyone found involved in irregularities within the ration distribution system.
He directed officials to regularly inspect fair price shops and report any issues encountered there to the government. This would facilitate improvements in the system and ensure better services for the general public.
The government’s objective is to ensure the smooth operation of all fair price shops in the state and to make essential commodities available to family cardholders without any hassle. Following the Minister’s directives, officials are now expected to further strengthen the monitoring and management of ration shops.
