AP to axe door-delivery of ration items from June, will restore fair price shops

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh cabinet headed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday decided to discontinue the YSRCP era method of distributing ration to people through vehicles at the door-step and restore the earlier system of dispensing them through fair price shops.

During the erstwhile YSRCP government, former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had introduced mobile distribution unit (MDU) mode of ration distribution, which would involve hundreds of modified light commercial vehicles fanning across the state to supply ration to people.

“The cabinet approved the proposal to discontinue the current distribution system through mobile dispensing units and restore the earlier system of distributing commodities directly through Fair Price Shops,” said an official press release.

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Feedback from ration card holders informed the government that 25 percent of the beneficiaries were not receiving ration while MDU operators were allegedly charging excess cost.

“Previously, there was a system of distributing commodities through 29,000 Fair Price Shops, which the YSRCP government had abolished to implement MDU vehicles,” it said.

For MDUs, Rs 1,860 crore of public funds was ‘misused’ for the purchase of 9,260 vehicles and another Rs 200 crore was spent on the pilot project, the release added.

However, these vehicles not only failed to provide any benefit to consumers but also led to rice smuggling, leading to the booking of 200 cases against van operators who became participants in rice smuggling and other irregularities, it alleged.

Considering these alleged discrepancies, the government has decided to start distributing ration through Fair Price Shops from June 1 onwards, where the beneficiaries will be required to physically go and buy the items.

“We (govt) will provide door delivery to senior citizens above 65 years and differently-abled persons. This system will stop rice diversion. We will also provide facilities to sell other goods through Fair Price Shops,” the press release added.

Meanwhile, the YSRP slammed the TDP-led NDA government over the decision to axe MDUs and called it a severe blow to people.

“This move will directly impact 10,000 families, pushing them into distress, and the YSR Congress Party strongly condemns this unjust action,” said the party in a press release.

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