Ravi for action against fair price shop owners for seeking OTP'

District In-charge Minister C T Ravi has directed the deputy director of Food and Civil Supplies Department to initiate strict action against those fair price shop owners who insist on the one-time password (OTP) for distributing rice under Public Distribution System.

Chairing a meeting with the leaders of all parties convened to discuss measures taken to contain the spread of Covid-19 at Zilla Panchayat hall, he said the government has already ordered on not to insist on OTP. By collecting the ration card number and signature, foodgrains should be distributed. The ration should be distributed for BPL cardholders from outside the district as well, he added.

The minister said that there are complaints about the illegal sale of liquor. There is a need to verify the stock of liquor in liquor outlets, he told the officials.

The official from the agriculture department said that the district has a stock of 1,74,449 quintal fertilisers.

The minister said that the district hospital has four ventilators. A total of 20 ventilators are available in private hospitals. There are 40,272 construction labourers in the district. Financial assistance of Rs 1,000 has been credited to the account of 9167 labourers, he said.