Latest news with #FairPriceShops
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Midday meal inspection in Ludhiana: Grains, grime and glaring gaps in the lunch line
Ludhiana: A surprise inspection by Punjab State Food Commission member Chetan Prakash Dhaliwal has uncovered hygiene lapses and storage issues at government schools, Anganwadi centres, and ration depots in the city, prompting immediate corrective orders and a renewed focus on food safety. Dhaliwal visited govt primary and high schools in Haibowal Kalan, Anganwadi centres in Joshi Nagar, and ration depots in Santosh Nagar, Pavitar Nagar, and Hakikat Nagar. During his inspection, he tasted meals personally, reviewed storage conditions, checked drinking water quality, and assessed overall cleanliness. At several schools, he found poorly stored food grains and detected excess Total dissolved solids (TDS) in drinking water — an indicator of unsafe consumption levels. He issued on-the-spot instructions to rectify the issues, including installing RO systems where necessary and conducting regular water quality checks. Dhaliwal also directed midday meal staff to wear head and hand coverings while cooking, and strictly follow the prescribed menu to ensure nutritional standards. He called for the inclusion of fresh vegetables and fruits in school meals and mandated biannual health check-ups for both students and midday meal workers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Losing Weight with These Barefoot Shoes – You Won't Believe It! Barefoot Vitality Undo At ration depots, Dhaliwal noted a lack of complaint boxes and absence of public awareness materials. He instructed officials to install complaint boxes and display the Commission's toll-free helpline (9876764545) at schools, Anganwadi centres, and ration shops to enable reporting of food quality issues. Earlier in the day, Dhaliwal chaired a meeting at the district administrative complex to review the implementation of welfare schemes including the Midday Meal Program, School Health Initiative, Antyodaya Anna Yojana, Fair Price Shops, Integrated Child Development Services, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, and the National Food Security Act. He stressed the importance of organic farming and warned of the health dangers associated with excessive pesticide and fertiliser use. Reaffirming the Food Commission's commitment to ensuring food security, he said the state must guarantee safe, nutritious food and clean water as a public health priority. "Strict action will be taken against future violations related to hygiene, storage, or food quality," Dhaliwal said.
Hans India
10-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
PDS rice will be distributed till June 30: Civil Supplies dept
Hyderabad: In light of the government's decision to distribute Public Distribution System (PDS) rice for three months, the Civil Supplies department has urged beneficiaries not to panic, confirming that distribution will continue until the end of June. The department explicitly denied recent rumours suggesting that the process would conclude by June 15. According to officials, this ration distribution will proceed without interruption until June 30, strictly adhering to the officially notified schedule. An official release stated, 'There is no need for panic or crowding at Fair Price Shops. Beneficiaries are requested to visit their respective Fair Price Shops in a staggered manner and collect their entitlements within the stipulated timeframe.' To ensure effective communication at the grassroots level, all Fair Price Shop dealers have been instructed to clearly display or communicate the updated ration distribution schedule to the public through appropriate means at their outlets. Strict compliance has been directed, and field officers will monitor the implementation to ensure that accurate information reaches all beneficiaries, the department added.
Hindustan Times
05-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: 3-lakh beneficiaries in district at risk of losing subsidised wheat due to incomplete e-KYC
Over 3.36 lakh beneficiaries in Ludhiana district—approximately one in every five people on the rolls—are at risk of losing their subsidised wheat under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) starting July 1, as they have yet to complete their mandatory e-KYC (electronic Know Your Customer) authentication, an official aware of the matter said. This process, mandated by the central government, aims to eliminate ineligible beneficiaries from the public distribution system (PDS). Despite the official deadline for e-KYC completion being set for May 31, and no further extensions expected, the e-KYC drive will continue until June 30, according to officials overseeing the process. The central government had earlier released a notification on March 17, 2023, urging all states and union territories to conduct a 100% e-KYC campaign at Fair Price Shops (FPS) to ensure transparency in NFSA implementation. While Aadhaar has been successfully linked to 99% of ration cards across India, the government has expressed concern over poor biometric authentication and duplicate entries, making e-KYC vital for the accurate rollout of the One Nation One Ration Card scheme. Ludhiana district, which has over 18.09 lakh beneficiaries, has completed e-KYC for approximately 14.7 lakh individuals. However, 3.36 lakh beneficiaries (19% of the total) have yet to authenticate their records and risk losing their access to subsidised wheat. The unverified individuals are mainly from areas with high migrant populations, including Giaspura, Dhandari Kalan, and Focal Point. These localities have been particularly challenging for verification as many migrants frequently travel back to their home states, complicating the process. District food and supplies officials have stated that only families whose heads have completed e-KYC will be eligible for wheat distribution during the July–September quarter. Additionally, the names of deceased beneficiaries have been removed from the records. In Ludhiana, 2,223 deceased beneficiaries were identified, and 2,155 of those names have already been removed from the records. Sartaaj Singh Cheema, district food supplies controller (Ludhiana West), confirmed that approximately 81.38% of e-KYC verifications have been completed in the district. 'We are conducting awareness drives and will share the list of pending beneficiaries with depot holders to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left out of receiving subsidised wheat,' he said.
