FB page takes plaints against ration shops

Functioning of ration shops in the city is now being improved with the help of Facebook with the food and supplies department accepting 4,000 queries and complaints in the first month of its account.

Secretary-cum-Commissioner Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs S S Yadav said in a short span of one month, more than 52,000 people have been reached through the posts of the department on the Facebook page.

“The fan following of the page has increased rapidly and is at 3,682 so far,” he said.
“It is really encouraging that the ration card holders, who are from lower income groups and vulnerable households have used the Facebook page in big numbers and provide useful insight into the functioning of the fair price shops and ration offices across the city,” he said.

Responding to queries

The department has also responded to the 4,000 queries, complaints and comments received on the Facebook page.

He said the department has become the first one in the Delhi government to open a Facebook page.

Yadav said people can give suggestions, file complaints, upload photos and videos of any irregularity in fair price shops and ration offices on the department’s Facebook page facebook.com/cfood.delhi

He said the Facebook page also carries information regarding the rates and entitlement of specified food articles supplied by the department under the Public Distribution System.

Complaints of ration shop’s staff misbehaviour or demand of illegal gratification are also welcome on the Facebook page, he said.

New social media group

Yadav said the department has constituted a social media group headed by an Assistant Commissioner to monitor the complaints, comments and queries received and provide the information to the people promptly and resolve their grievances.

He said an analysis of the page information reveals that the page is a hit amongst the youth. About 46 per cent of the people who liked this page are between the age of 18 to 24 years.