HYDERABAD: Civil Supplies Commissioner M Stephen Raveendra on Friday said that the state government would not hesitate to initiate criminal cases against ration shop dealers found diverting stocks, short-supplying goods or committing other irregularities. He reiterated that the department’s primary objective remains a transparent, fair and efficient distribution of essential commodities to all eligible beneficiaries.
The Commissioner conducted a surprise inspection at a fair price shop at Picket in Secunderabad on Friday. The visit is aimed at assessing the ground-level functioning of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and ensure essential commodities are reaching beneficiaries efficiently.
In view of the issuance of 1.75 lakh new ration cards, the Commissioner instructed the Chief Rationing Officer, Hyderabad, to study the feasibility of establishing new fair price shops. He also directed the officials to expedite the filling of 50 existing FPS vacancies.
During the inspection, the Commissioner interacted with PDS beneficiaries and enquired about the quality, quantity and timeliness of commodities supplied. He also enquired about the conduct of the FPS dealer and checked for transparency in service delivery.
Additionally, the Commissioner also reviewed the operational expenses incurred by dealers, including costs for transportation, handling, manpower, and electricity, to evaluate if the current commission aligns with these expenses.
He promised to address the concerns of the ration dealers, while sternly warning that violating rules or engaging in malpractices cannot be tolerated.