Delhi minister directs officials to act against erring ration dealers

NEW DELHI: After getting complaints of Fair Price Shops (FPS) remaining shut during working hours, Delhi Minister of Food and Civil supplies Imran Hussain on Tuesday directed officials of the department to conduct field visits to ensure proper functioning of the shops.

During a virtual meeting chaired by the minister, directions were given to field officers to ensure that all the FPS under their jurisdiction opened regularly.

A government statement said the minister directed assistant commissioners (F&S) and Food and Supplies officers and inspectors of the all 70 F&S circles in Delhi to make regular field visits and ensure that all fair price shops (FPS) dealers are distributing full quota of foodgrains free of cost to the beneficiaries.

"He conveyed his displeasure about a number of fair price shops found closed during working hours when the minister recently visited Shalimar Bagh, Sultanpuri and Mustafabad areas of Delhi. The minister warned that in case FPSs are found closed during prescribed working hours, strict action will be taken against not only the erring FPS dealers but also against the FSI, FSO and AC concerned," the statement said.

The officers were also told to ensure that FPS dealers distribute full quota of foodgrains free of cost to the beneficiaries for the months of May and June.

As per rules the fair price shops are supposed to remain open from 9am to 1pm and from 3pm to 7pm without any weekly off.  Hussain also directed Commissioner Padmini Singla to submit daily report regarding FPS-wise distribution of ration for his perusal.

He further directed the officials to ensure that FPS dealers do not indulge in malpractices such as misbehaviour, diversion of foodgrains, hoarding, blackmarketing, short dispensing of ration etc. and if any of the dealers is found indulged in such activities, strict and swift action should be taken.

The Delhi government will shortly start distribution of 5 kg of food grains (4kg wheat and 1kg rice) per person, free of cost, for the months of May and June, to non-PDS beneficiaries who do not possess any ration card. This distribution will be carried out from schools.