Himachal Pradesh Transport Minister Gurmeet Singh Bali who also holds the portfolio of Food, Civil Supply and Consumer affairs today released the fully automated digital ration card at Assembly complex this afternoon. Mr. Bali said that 16 lakh ration cards would be distributed to all 4000 fair price shops of Civil Supply Department before April 10, as it would be made available at respective PDS depots in the State. He said that these Adhaar linked digital ration card scanning machines have been already dispatched to 2000 depots.
Making the HP state Civil Supply Corporation would set the target to distribute all new ration cards to its 18.50 lakh consumers before April 10, meeting dead line of fixed for it by the Centre. The Minister claimed that it would help to reduce the fake and duplicate ration cards in the State besides it would replace traditional warn out paper folded ration cards. He said that State Civil Supply Corporation had laid the target to provide about 1253 Cr food items by increasing sale target of 15 per cent in the next financial year.
He said that Corporation would hand over Rs 35 lakh dividends and Rs 51 lakh relief fund cheques to Chief Minister on Mar 31. He said that Corporation would set up six more petrol pumps at Palampur, Sundernagar, Pathankot, Mandi, Sundernagar and Bilaspur as one is already working in Shimla. To assure readily supply of LPG to the people in the State and stop the duplicity of Gas connection Corporation would start ‘special audit derive in all gas agencies of State.
Mr. Bali who was speaking to media after the attending the BODs meeting today also warned that inspections would be conducted in all the Depots and shortage of food grain to be made penalised. He said that orders have been issued to all the divisional manger level officer to lodged FIR if if any depots holder found negligent in supply of wheat to the people in the state. Minister said that on the analogy of Noodles agency would launch Rs ten packets food items like pluses and other food grain as it would be made available to children and poor to buy it like Noodles.
Minister said that when the prices of noodles gone to Rs 50 per packet, state agencies likely to fetch the good sales as these items to be displayed in all the fair price shops and PDS depots. HPSCSC also decided to open its more outlets to sale food items on the fair prices. He said that BODs decided to open such ‘ Apni Dukan’ at three or four locations like Kalthrui, Rajgarh and Nagrota. Minister also announced that centre has decided to restore the supply of PDS wheat flour to the APL families and it would be made available to people by next month.
The Government also decided to begin supply 10 kilogram or less wheat flour weight packets on the subsidised rate to ensure the hygienic and unadulterated quality food to people. Minister informed that Government of India decided to stop the release the Subsidy on PDS levy Sugar to the states and state would decided to bear the subsidy upto May this year He said that Government would take up the issue with the centre to press to release the subsidy in the future.