MARGAO
Benaulim witnessed an uproar after ration card holders complained of insufficient stock of food grains including rice and wheat at a local fair-price shop.
Civil Supplies officials along with Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas also descended on the shop only to realize that the fair price shop was showing a shortage of rice and wheat.
The Civil Supplies official pointed out that the fair price shop ought to have stock of 23,000 kilograms of rice and 6,000 kg of wheat at the shop, but the ground reality showed otherwise. The official later told the media that he would submit a detailed report on the situation, adding that the department will take appropriate action in the matter. The official told the ration card holders that they should not hesitate to lodge complaints to the department if they come across any discrepancies.
The Benaulim MLA told the media that the inspection of the fair price shop revealed that the actual stock of food grains was not found in the shop, saying this has thrown up a question of where the food grains meant for the cardholders gone.
“The fair price shop owner is a senior citizen. We have requested him to get the stock. We request the department to ensure the cardholders get the ration,” he said.
The MLA said youngsters running a fair price shop should volunteer and give their names to his office, saying: “We can put in place a mechanism wherein any youngster can run the shop.”
Venzy further said the government should also streamline the fair price shops saying: "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced free ration, there is no mechanism to transport the quota to the doorsteps of the fair price shops.”
