KAKINADA: Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar announced that ration shops across the state will soon be converted into ‘Mini Malls’ in collaboration with the Central Government.
These upgraded outlets will offer not just rice, but also a variety of nutritious millets such as finger millets (ragulu), pearl millets (sajjalu), Sorghum ( jonna), and foxtail millet (korralu), aimed at improving public health.
Minister Nadendla Manohar formally launched the statewide resumption of Fair Price (FP) shops at Gandhi Bomma Centre in Pithapuram on Sunday, marking a major shift in the state’s public distribution system (PDS).
The revamped system is expected to save the state Rs 385 crore annually while enhancing transparency, flexibility, and accessibility.
Speaking on the occasion, Manohar announced that 29,761 FP shops will now distribute goods worth Rs 1.46 crore every month. Beneficiaries can collect their rations from any shop, regardless of their rice card linkage.
Shops will operate daily from 8 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm, including Sundays, from 1st to 15th of every month.
The minister criticized the previous YSRCP government for scrapping shop-based delivery under the guise of door-to-door service, alleging that it led to corruption and misuse of Rs 1,650 crore.
He said 9,260 Mobile Dispensing Units (MDUs) were misused for rice smuggling, and that even idle vehicles were falsely shown as delivering rations.
Home delivery to continue for 15.6 lakh people
In contrast, he said, 8.15 lakh families were served through shops within four hours on Sunday. Manohar asserted strict monitoring, stating that dealers have been added to WhatsApp groups to confirm deliveries with photographic proof.
Home delivery will continue for 15.6 lakh elderly and differently-abled beneficiaries by the 5th of each month. Action will be taken against dealers for weight discrepancies, and shops must ensure e-POS and weighing machines remain functional.
A QR code grievance system will be implemented at all shops. Enhanced surveillance has been placed at ports like Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Tada, and Krishnapatnam, and the PD Act will be invoked against rice smugglers, the minister added.
Calling ration dealers the backbone of the PDS, Manohar urged them to uphold the NDA government’s values under Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
Later, the minister inaugurated the ration distribution program at a Fair Price Shop in Vakalapudi, Kakinada Rural constituency on Sunday, Manohar highlighted the efficiency and transparency achieved through the revival of ration shop-based distribution. Within the first four hours of the morning, ration commodities were delivered to 8.15 lakh families across 29,761 shops in AP.
The event was attended by Civil Supplies Commissioner Saurabh Gaur, Kakinada Collector Shan Mohan Sagili, Joint Collector Rahul Meena, Government Whip Pidugu Hariprasad, Kakinada Rural MLA Pantham Nanaji, and other leaders. Later, the minister inaugurated a distribution program at Vakalapudi in Kakinada Rural.