5,500 Annapurna Bhawans to have fair price shops, common service centres
Lucknow: Around 5,500 upcoming 'Annapurna Bhawans' will be a blend of fair price shops and common service centres (CSC) provisioning essential govt and non-govt services to citizens in rural and urban centres of Uttar Pradesh.
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The key feature will be the hallmark of these centres which would be constructed across all districts – the state govt plans to set up at least 75 Annapurna Bhawans in each district.
The development comes a week after the cabinet gave its nod to step up the construction of Annapurna Bhawan by utilizing funds and sources other than Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). These centres may now be set up using MP/MLA Local Area Development Fund, tourism development fund, Bundelkhand Vikas Nidhi or any other govt-approved scheme.
The feature comes as an add-on after the successful implementation of PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana, Centre's flagship scheme that was put in place at the peak of coronavirus pandemic.
The state govt has already set up around 3,500 Annapurna Bhawans. "Another 2,000 are in the pipeline," food and civil supplies minister Satish Sharma told TOI.
Currently, there are around 80,000 fair price shops in the state. Sharma said that selected shops would be shifted to Annapurna Bhawan free of cost.
"The objective of the scheme is to improve the accessibility of fair price shops and ensure their transparent operation," he said.
In a communique to all divisional commissioners, principal secretary, food and civil supplies, Ranveer Prasad said that each Annapurna Bhawan would be constructed over an area of around 484 sq feet. The shop will comprise two sections – one for the fair price shop, the other for CSC. These centres will also have a 96 sq ft verandah, which would serve as a waiting area.
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These centres may also be constructed in clusters in the urban areas after due approval from the district magistrates. The district administration will choose the working agency – gram panchayat in rural and development authority in urban areas.
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