Commission to fair price shops to be hiked, says Khader

Food and civil supplies dept to place proposal before Cabinet

In what may be a music to ears of Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders, the Food and Civil Supplies Department is planning to provide extra cylinder for free every month to them.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader on Tuesday told mediapersons here that it has been proposed to provide additional cylinder for free for BPL consumers having single LPG cylinder taking the total to 24 cylinders per annum (12 cylinders on subsidised rate and equal number of extras for free). While in the case of rural consumers, they can either opt for additional cylinder or two solar lights, for free. To enable those living in Malnad regions, who are largely dependent on kerosene, especially during rainy season, it will be sold in open market.

Besides, to check irregularities in public distribution system, it has been decided to revise the commission for fair price shops from existing Rs 36 to Rs 100 per quintal of food grains. It includes Rs 70 commission amount from per quintal sales of food grains, followed by Rs 20 from the sales of two gunny bags and Rs 10 from the State government totalling Rs 100.

Reacting to media queries, Khader said, the afore mentioned proposals will be placed before the next Cabinet meeting for approval.

On the recent incident in Yadgir, where deputy director of the department was kidnapped and released later when he went to inspect a godown, the minister said he has visited the spot and four persons have been arrested by police in this regard.

The minister said 435 quintals of rice, 35 quintals of sugar, 180 quintals of wheat and 385 litres of oil were found missing.