VIJAYAWADA: Commissioner of Civil Supplies B Raja Sekhar said that a State food commission will soon be set up to redress grievances.
Speaking at World Consumer Rights Day celebrations at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram here on Sunday, he emphasised that e-POS system will benefit the consumers, but some people are trying to stop it by filing cases in courts.
The National Food Security Act will be implemented from this April and every white ration card holder will get 5 kg of rice, he said.
“The state government can generate Rs 1,000 crore as revenue by implementing the e-POS system,” he said.
On the occasion, various stalls were set up to display the working of e-POS system, safety measures to be followed while using a gas stove and how a consumer should check the weight of a cylinder during delivery.
They also displayed the equipment used in measuring basic food commodities like rice, sugar, oil and other commodities. Consumers and FP shop dealers have interacted with the commissioner and other officials on the occasion and aired their grievances.
District collector Babu A described ration shop as poor man’s supermarket.
Within the next two months, e-POS system will be implemented in 2,200 ration shops across the district.
The Central government has decided to implement e-POS in 300 FP shops each in 687 districts in the country.
The All India Consumer Protection Organisation (AICPO) also celebrated the day at their office.
AICPO state president Katragadda Suresh explained various health and financial related issues caused by unhealthy food habits and adulterated products available in the market.
“Consumers are shelling out money to get cured of diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol. Many of the products are found to be adulterated and chemicals mixed in them are harmful to human body,” he said.
The AICPO State committee has announced the several awareness programmes that will start from March 15 and continue till World Heath Day on April 17.