The Hindu : Karnataka News : ‘Keep fair price shops open for half the month’

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Wednesday, Dec 10, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

‘Keep fair price shops open for half the month’

Staff Correspondent

61 per cent of beneficiaries given ration cards

Minister says seized wheat and rice should be given to hostels
Officials asked to keep strict vigil on
fair price shops

DAVANGERE: H. Halappa, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, has ordered fair price shops across the State irrespective of location, to function for at least fifteen days a month and distribute foodgrains to poor people.

Chairing a special meeting to supervise the distribution of foodgrains to the poor here on Tuesday, Mr. Halappa told officials of the department to ensure that fair price shops functioned for at least 15 days a month so that rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene could be distributed to the needy. He said if he received any complaints of continuous closure, he would not only initiate action against such shops, but also punish the jurisdictional officials concerned.

The Minister also asked the officials to keep strict vigil on shops which were not utilising their full quota. If any such shops did not utilise their quota or if they had previous stock, it only meant that they were not functioning properly, he said.

Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Ravindra said 61 per cent of the beneficiaries had been given ration cards and added that the department would distribute cards to the remaining in a month or two.

Mayakonda MLA Basavaraja Naika, Deputy Commissioner of Davangere district K. Amaranarayana, chief executive officer of the Davangere Zilla Panchayat Gutti Jamboonath and Assistant Commissioner of Davangere Janaki were present.

Review meeting

Meanwhile, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shobha Karandlaje, at a separate review meeting at the zilla panchayat office, directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to give rice and wheat seized by them to hostels meant for the backward communities. She said that in Mysore, such practices were being followed. She said holding back seized rice and wheat would only result in the foodgrains going bad.

Earlier, chief executive officer of the zilla panchayat Gutti Jamboonath said five kg of wheat and 10 kg of rice were supposed to have been given per student per month in hostels meant for the backward communities, but this had become difficult as prices had increased. He urged the Minister to direct the Food and Civil Supplies Department to give a portion of the rice and wheat allotted to it, every month, to the hostels so that students could be given nutritious food. He said there were over 10,000 students living in such hostels and added that although the Government had enhanced student grants, it was difficult to give them food in accordance with stipulated guidelines. He said the Government had enhanced the grant from Rs. 400 to Rs. 600 for students below the 10th standard while those above standard 10 would now be given Rs. 650 each as compared to Rs. 450 earlier. The Government had issued a directive to the hostels to provide each student an egg and a banana on alternate days, apart from rice and other food items. The student strength had also increased considerably in the recent years and it had become difficult to run hostels, the official said. The Minister said she would discuss the issue with Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa and take appropriate action.

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