Tag Archives: ration

SCHEME TO SAVE RS 170 CRORE OF 1.54 CRORE PEOPLE; WILL GET RELIEF FROM WAITING IN LINE FOR HOURS: MINISTER KATARUCHAK

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 22, 2022

The ambitious scheme ‘Ghar Ghar Ration’ of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will start from October 2 and about 1.54 crore people will benefit from this scheme, said the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.

Disclosing this, the minister Lal Chand Kataruchak gave detailed information about this scheme.

The scheme will save about Rs 170 crore to the public

The Minister informed that there are about 1.54 crore beneficiaries in Punjab under this scheme. About Rs 170 crore is being spent by people on milling the flour, therefore, the scheme will save money of common man.

Flour will not be older than 7 days, whereas flour is available in the market for about one to two months old

The minister said that it is our endeavor that within seven days of grinding the flour in the mill, it should be delivered to all the houses, so that people can get fresh flour, which will also have a good effect on their health. He said that even in the market the flour is about one or two months old.

Why is the government giving flour instead of wheat? Minister replied

Earlier people had to stand in the scorching heat or inclement weather for hours to get food grains under the food security scheme. Then people have to spend money on its gridding for flour. Now people’s time, money, hard work and energy will be saved by delivering flour directly at home.

How will the plan work and how will the delivery happen?

The government will pick up the wheat from the FCI godowns and give it to the flour mill. Then, the delivery partners will be responsible for delivering the flour to every household. Many big delivery companies of the country have participated in the tendering process. The contract for delivery will be allocated to a firm soon.

Camera to monitors, the delivery van will have GPS system and there will also be options for digital payment for payment

The minister said that the delivery of floor bags will be done under the supervision of the camera so that there is no scope for any disturbance in the delivery, so that people do not get any chance to complain. The delivery van has been equipped with GPS system for timely delivery. Nowadays is the era of online. People do not always have cash money. Therefore, the option of digital payment has also been kept for payment.

Old ration depot holders have also been taken care of

The government has signed an MoU with the old ration depot holders, under which the old ration depot holders will be able to work related to various online services of the central government such as BSNL landline and phone bills and other online facilities of the central government to ensure that they get employment.

The minister also responded to the allegations of the opposition

Minister Kataruchak said that during the previous governments regime, there was huge corruption in the food distribution scheme. The politicians used to scam crores and billions of rupees from officers to middlemen. Our government is eliminating corruption and implementing it in a transparent manner. Now there is no scope for corruption in this. We are providing facilities at home to the people with the same money by eliminating corruption.

GHAR GHAR RATION TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN SINGLE PHASE: LAL CHAND KATARUCHAK

IEP CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 14, 2022

Armed with the resolute will to provide ration at the doorstep of the people, the State Government shall undertake the home delivery service of atta from 1st October this year.

          The scheme shall be implemented across the State in a single phase. The entire state has been divided into eight zones.

          Disclosing this, the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak said that under the scheme, the Government shall offer, to every beneficiary enrolled under NFSA, the option of home delivery of Atta.  Any beneficiary, who wishes to physically collect his entitlement of wheat from a Fair Price Shop (FPS), shall have an option of OPT-OUT through a suitable IT intervention freely available to him. The delivery cycle of distribution shall now be changed from quarterly to monthly cycle.

          The Home Delivery Service shall introduce the concept of Mobile Fair Price Shops (MPS). The MPS shall be a transport vehicle, preferably fitted with GPS facility and cameras to live stream the handing over of Atta to the beneficiary, said the Minister adding it shall mandatorily have the facility of weighing scales in order to satisfy the customer about the weight of the Atta before it is delivered. All mandatory requirements of biometric verification, handing over of printed weight slip to the beneficiary, etc. shall be provided by the MPS. All MPS licences shall be issued by the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. An MPS shall enjoy a status similar to the ‘Fair Price Shop’ under the NFSA. Only MPS shall offer the facility of home delivery of Atta. 

          A Special Purpose Vehicle shall be formed by MARKFED to undertake all activities required to successfully offer the service of Home Delivery of Atta to the beneficiaries of NFSA.  The State Government shall bear the entire cost of grinding Wheat into Atta even though the guidelines framed under NFSA allowed the recovery of these grinding charges from the beneficiary.  The new service is, therefore, expected to result in a saving of about Rs. 170 crore for the beneficiaries as regards their present expenditure on converting Wheat into Atta at the local atta chakki, added Mr. Kataruchak.