CCTV camera installed in 4000 fair price shops
Central Chronicle News
Raipur, Mar 18: Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat reviewed the work of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection in the Ministry (Mahanadi Bhavan). He directed to take strict action by investigating complaints of shortage of foodgrains in fair price shops. He reviewed district-wise storage and distribution of food grains in government fair price shops of the state. Bhagat has asked to ensure adequate storage for distribution of fortified rice, jaggery, sugar and gram. Instructions have been given to officers to rationalize the shops where there are more than 5 thousand ration card holders, drinking water arrangements in ration shops, coloring and rate list, as well as to keep a constant inspection. In the meeting, Secretary, Food Department, Dr. Kamalpreet Singh informed that CCTV Cameras have been installed in 4 thousand government fair price shops of the state, these include 109 urban area shops and 2 thousand 900 rural shops. In the remaining ration shops, the process of CCTV installing the camera is on. In the state, 4 thousand 427 fair price shops are being operated by Panchayats, 4 thousand 29 shops by cooperative societies, 3 thousand 925 shops by women self-help groups, 117 shops by forest protection societies and 29 fair price shops are run by urban bodies. Since April 2020, 2 lakh 77 thousand new ration cards have been issued and the names of 2 lakh 76 thousand 808 members have been added. So far, 511 complaints have been received in the fair price shops from April 2020 to find less food grains, of which almost the complaints have been resolved. 305 fair price shops have been rationalized in the state. Out of 12 thousand 768 fair price shops, 11 thousand 652 shops have been painted in the state. In all the shops, storage and distribution of adequate quantity of food grains, jaggery, gram, sugar, fortified rice is going on smoothly. Special Secretary of Food Department, Mr. Manoj Kumar Soni, MD Markfed Mr. Ankit Anand and other officers were present in the meeting.