Latest news with #PDS
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Crack down on PDS anomalies in UP: Pause between transactions a must, sugar overpricing under lens
In a bid to streamline the public distribution system (PDS), the Uttar Pradesh government has introduced two important measures to tackle irregularities in ration distribution by curbing bogus transactions and exposing overcharging, shortchanging and underweighing etc. As a part of the first measure, the government has mandated a minimum one-minute pause between two consecutive transactions made by any ration dealer through the electronic Point-of-Sale (ePOS) device. 'Much like the protocol followed in ATM transactions, we have mandated the one-minute interval between the consecutive transactions by a ration dealer to prevent bogus or proxy entries which have long plagued the fair price shop network across the state,' principal secretary, food and civil supplies, Ranvir Prasad said. According to other officials, some dealers were misusing the POS system to quickly process multiple transactions—sometimes without the actual beneficiaries being present—by exploiting saved biometric data or other means. 'The idea is to ensure that every transaction is genuine and done in real time. A mandatory pause between transactions makes it difficult to carry out mass bogus entries and helps detect suspicious behaviour,' said a senior official in the food and civil supplies department. However, the more disturbing issue has surfaced through a new initiative launched to take direct feedback from the ration beneficiaries. Using a random calling system, the department has begun reaching out to people who collect rations to get their on-ground experiences. Early feedback has revealed a worrying pattern. Many ration dealers are overcharging poor families while distributing subsidised sugar to them. Households covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), a scheme meant for the poorest of the poor. Over 40 lakh AAY families across Uttar Pradesh are entitled to get three kg of sugar every three months at subsidised rates of ₹18 per kg. But the feedback has shown that several dealers are asking for more money than the official price. 'We have developed a new system under which we make random calls to beneficiaries asking them a few pointed questions like if their ration dealer behaves properly, dispenses full quantity, charges the right price etc,' Prasad said. 'Some citizens contacted randomly have complained about their being overcharged for sugar while many others complained about under-weighing ration' he added. He said action on all the complaints about shortchanging, weighing less than required, misbehaviour and overpricing would be taken. 'District officials have been directed to verify the complaints and take immediate corrective steps,' Prasad added.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
20 lakh more individuals to receive ration card benefits in Telangana
HYDERABAD: In a significant development ahead of the Telangana Formation Day celebrations, the state government has reportedly cleared a massive backlog of food security card applications, adding nearly 20 lakh new beneficiaries to the public distribution system (PDS). The decision is being seen both as an administrative milestone and a political move. According to official sources, over two lakh new ration cards have been approved, which will benefit a total of five lakh individuals. Additionally, applications for expanding family units under existing cards have been cleared, covering around 15 lakh more people. The Civil Supplies department is said to have conducted a comprehensive field-level verification process before the final approvals. This development pushes the total number of ration cards in the state from approximately 89.97 lakh to 92.28 lakh, with the number of beneficiaries rising from 2.81 crore to 3.01 crore — an increase of nearly 20 lakh individuals. The timing and scale of the ration card clearances are politically significant. In the lead-up to the 2023 Assembly elections, the then-opposition Congress had strongly criticised the BRS government for allegedly stalling the issue of new food security cards. The Congress government now appears to be eager to expedite the process of issuing new cards. The sanctioned cards are part of the party's Praja Palana initiative — a citizen-outreach programme launched soon after the Congress formed the government — which solicited public grievances and applications across a wide range of welfare schemes. The government also facilitated online applications through MeeSeva centres, a move aimed at streamlining access and reducing bureaucratic delays. Beyond expanding coverage, the Congress government has also introduced qualitative improvements. Unlike the previous BRS regime, the current administration started supplying superfine variety rice through ration shops. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is expected to officially announce the clearance of these applications during Telangana Formation Day celebrations on Monday.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
People with physical disabilities to get ration at doorstep in Andhra Pradesh
ONGOLE: The State government has resumed distribution of ration goods through Fair Price (FP) shops, replacing the earlier system of doorstep delivery via Mobile Distribution Units (MDUs). Vice Chairman and MD of AP Civil Supplies Corporation Dr Manazir Jilani Samun said the new system will operate from 8 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm from the 1st to 15th of every month. Speaking after inspecting FP shops at Ongole's Santhapet and Annavarappadu areas on Sunday, Dr Samun said only senior citizens above 65 and the physically disabled will continue to receive doorstep delivery. He also announced that Ragi and Jowar would be added to the distribution list from next month. Social Welfare Minister Dr Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy relaunched the initiative at Turpu Naidupalem village in Kondapi Assembly segment. He said the government aims to ensure efficient and transparent delivery of essentials and eliminate irregularities in the Public Distribution System (PDS). 'Rice and sugar are currently being supplied, and in future, all essentials will be made available through FP shops,' he said.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Andhra ration shops set to become ‘Mini Malls', may start selling variety of millets soon
KAKINADA: Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar announced that ration shops across the state will soon be converted into 'Mini Malls' in collaboration with the Central Government. These upgraded outlets will offer not just rice, but also a variety of nutritious millets such as finger millets (ragulu), pearl millets (sajjalu), Sorghum ( jonna), and foxtail millet (korralu), aimed at improving public health. Minister Nadendla Manohar formally launched the statewide resumption of Fair Price (FP) shops at Gandhi Bomma Centre in Pithapuram on Sunday, marking a major shift in the state's public distribution system (PDS). The revamped system is expected to save the state Rs 385 crore annually while enhancing transparency, flexibility, and accessibility. Speaking on the occasion, Manohar announced that 29,761 FP shops will now distribute goods worth Rs 1.46 crore every month. Beneficiaries can collect their rations from any shop, regardless of their rice card linkage. Shops will operate daily from 8 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm, including Sundays, from 1st to 15th of every month. The minister criticized the previous YSRCP government for scrapping shop-based delivery under the guise of door-to-door service, alleging that it led to corruption and misuse of Rs 1,650 crore. He said 9,260 Mobile Dispensing Units (MDUs) were misused for rice smuggling, and that even idle vehicles were falsely shown as delivering rations.
Hans India
a day ago
- General
- Hans India
Home delivery ration hit elderly hard in Pathikonda division
Devanakonda: Despite clear guidelines from the State Government regarding doorstep delivery of ration to the elderly and differently-abled beneficiaries, the implementation at the ground level remains far from satisfactory in several mandals under the Pathikonda Division. Allegations have emerged that dealers in Tuggali, Maddikera, Jonnagiri, and Devanakonda mandals are not adhering to these crucial directives. The government has initiated a prestigious programme aimed at streamlining ration distribution through authorized fair price shops. The programme was formally launched in the division by Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Bharat Nayak and Mandal Revenue Officers (MROs) recently, beginning from Sunday. However, in Devanakonda mandal, several elderly citizens and differently-abled individuals continue to face significant hardships in accessing their entitled ration. to the government's norms, these vulnerable groups are to receive ration directly at their doorstep. Contrary to this, they are being forced to physically visit the ration shops, where they often wait for hours in discomfort, some even collapsing while waiting due to their frailty. Adding to the woes, technical glitches such as persistent server issues are causing considerable delays in the distribution process. Beneficiaries have expressed frustration over the long wait times and the lack of basic arrangements at ration shops. Furthermore, several cardholders have raised serious complaints about irregularities in the quantity of rice being supplied. Allegedly, dealers are using tin boxes to measure rice instead of weighing it properly, which leads to beneficiaries receiving less than their entitled share. There are also concerns that rice bags supplied from government godowns contain less than the standard weight, exacerbating the problem. When questioned, some dealers reportedly attributed the shortfall to underweight bags being dispatched from the civil supplies godown. Revenue officials have acknowledged these concerns and promised corrective action. Beneficiaries are now urging the authorities to take immediate steps to ensure that ration is distributed fairly and that home delivery services are effectively implemented for the elderly and the disabled. There is a growing demand from the public for stricter monitoring and accountability in the Public Distribution System (PDS), especially for those who are most dependent on government welfare. It remains to be seen how swiftly the administration responds to these pressing issues and restores the faith of beneficiaries in the ration distribution mechanism.
