SRINAGAR: To get a firsthand experience of the functioning of the Fair Price Shops (FPSs), Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo and Commissioner Secretary, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Zubair Ahmad visited a Fair Price Shop at Sanatnagar here today.
During the visit, the senior officers checked the FPSs for conformity of norms by the dealers meant for the delivery of food grains, under Public Distribution System (PDS).
The visit was in compliance with the directions of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Department of Food and Public Distribution, GoI, and as a part of the celebrations of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, under which an initiative has been undertaken to visit around 5000 FPSs across the country by senior officers to significantly enhance the visibility of FPSs, and to boost the morale of the officials/FPS owners as well as provide confidence to the beneficiaries. This initiative has been undertaken with a holistic vision to incorporate all the aspects of the Public Distribution System.
To bring transparency and efficiency in the allocation and distribution of food grains the Department has already automated the FPSs by installing e-POS devices, accelerated Aadhar seeding, and put in place many more reforms to enhance the beneficiary experience. The Department has also enhanced its efforts to improve the profitability of FPSs, ensure their viability by offering more services and make some other interventions also.
During the visit, the ACS observed that departments of the Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare and FCS&CA need to explore the possibility of convergence of certain services provided by the Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare Department in rural areas, so as to have such services delivered through FPSs. The ACS also inspected the quality of food grains at the FPSs.
The ACS was informed about the satisfactory implementation of Schemes viz, ONORC & PMGKAY and the issues/challenges faced by FPS dealers. ACS advised the officers of the Department to take more measures to ensure complete beneficiary satisfaction and FPS transformation. The ACS stressed better infrastructure, Quality Control, Beneficiary Experience, and Service Delivery, at all the FPSs across J&K. Such visits to FPSs by the senior officers shall continue across J&K.
