4 days ago
Fair price shops to function through 37 Annapurna Bhawans in Varanasi
In order to maintain transparency regarding distribution of ration through fair price shops, the government has built 37 Annapurna Bhawan in the district which are equipped with e-POS machines and e-weighing scales.
These multipurpose buildings have been built in the district for operating fair price shops and to check the problem of under-weighing.
Built by the state government under MNREGA scheme, these bhavans have a storage room and a distribution room. These structures have been constructed with an objective to make the public distribution system more effective and ensure stability of the ration shops even after the ration dealer is changed.
The fair price shops will be operated at these bhavans. Kotedar (ration dealers) will operate the fair price shops from these buildings. The shop owners will not have to pay any rent to run the shops.
Chief development officer, Varanasi Himanshu Nagpal said that Annapurna Bhawan is such a multipurpose building from where the ration dealers will be able to operate Jan Suvidha Kendra along with fair price ration shops. All Annapurna Bhawans will have e-POS machines with e-weighing scale, so that the underweighing of ration can be stopped and the card holders can get the full ration given by the government.
District supply officer KB Singh said that Annapurna Bhawan is being constructed at special places for fair price ration shops and is being given to the ration dealers/ fair price shop owners. With the construction of Annapurna Bhawan, the ration dealers are getting convenience along with saving money.
The district supply officer said that there are 1,315 fair price shops in Varanasi. This year the target was to build 37 Annapurna buildings, out of which 21 have been completed, while 16 Annapurna buildings built last year are being operated. A total of 37 Annapurna buildings have been constructed in the district so far. According to this year's target, the construction of the remaining 16 Annapurna buildings will be completed soon.
