Mobile ration shops aimed at distributing commodities at the doorsteps of ration cardholders became operational on Thursday.
With sacks of rice, dhal and sachets of edible oil, and sales personnel to man them, the mobile vans spanned out to distribute the commodities to cardholders.
Tourism Minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan and Backward Classes and Minority Welfare Minister S. Valarmathi flagged off the mobile vans at a function held at Thiruvanaikoil on Thursday.
Mr. Natarajan said 105 mobile ration shops have been allotted to Tiruchi district and they would distribute the commodities on select dates to cardholders. This would enable people to buy ration items at their doorsteps and would save time and energy for the cardholders.
He said that the mobile shops would serve 15,444 cardholders as of now. More mobile ration shops would be opened in future, he indicated.
The Ministers also inaugurated distribution of fortified rice to the family cardholders in the district on Thursday. Mr. Natarajan said that the rice mixed with fortified rice had been moved to all 1244 ration shops in the district. There were about 8 lakh ration cards in the district. Each cardholder could get 20 kg of rice a month. The content of the fortified rice would be 250 grams for every 20 kg. The pilot project was aimed at combating malnutrition among the people. The government would bear the expenditure for procuring, processing and transporting the fortified rice.
Earlier, the Ministers inaugurated the new ration shops constructed at Periyar Nagar and on Nelson Road near Srimad Andavan College.
Collector S. Sivarasu and senior officials of various departments participated in the functions.
Perambalur
In Perambalur district, Collector V. Santha inaugurated 20 mobile ration shops on Thursday.
She said that the mobile shops would serve about 3,502 family card holders covering areas such as Thuraimanagalam, Arumbavur, Puduviralipatti, Melamathur, Agaramsigur, Thondamandurai, Poolambadi, V. Kalathur, Esanai, D. Keeranur, Thaenur, Irur, Arasalur, Adaikkampatti and Puduvettakudi.