Team Herald
PONDA: The general public in Ponda taluka was shocked to learn about the Central government’s decision to shut down fair price shops and switch over to ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’.
Every person who was spoken to elicit his or her views on the closure of the fair price shops had just one opinion: the shops should not be closed down.
The people wondered why the government wants to shut down the fair price shops, the only food security for common man; more so, when the food prices are becoming unaffordable.
Shankar Naik, a rickshaw driver from Ponda, said that the public distribution system (PDS) is the only food security available for common man, which, he opined, should not be snatched away from him.
“What is the guarantee that after the closure of the fair price shops, the common man will able to buy ration commodities at the current price available to ration cardholders?” he questioned and doubted that ration could be bought at the current price under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
When informed that the DBT system is proposed for eliminating “leakages, corruption and wasteful expenditure”, Shankar said, “If the government thinks that those running fair price shops are indulging in corruption, then, it should conduct a survey of poor people and provide only them food commodities under the public distribution system.”
He acknowledged that some ration cardholders do not purchase ration from fair price shops and that unsold quota is sold for a higher price in the black market by the fair price shop owners. To prevent such malpractice, he said, the government should conduct raid or conduct periodical audit. “Closing down the shops is not the answer to corruption and that amounts to punishing the common for the sins of the fair price shop owners,” he opined.
Khushali Naik said that currently he is buying 10 kilograms of rice at Rs 3 per kg under the Antoday Anna Yojana category. “When the fair price shops are closed, I will get Rs 90 under (DBT). But will I be able to buy the same quantity and quality of rice with that money? More so, when rice is sold at Rs 28-30 per kg?” he questioned.
He feared that subsidised food commodities would meet with the same fate that befell LPG, wherein after bringing gas cylinders under direct benefit transfer, the government is now proposing to scrap subsidy on the same. “After closing the shops, if the government discontinues with the DBT, then, the public will be left with no option than to buy the average quality rice at Rs 30-50 a kg in the open market,” he reasoned out.
Adv Varad Mardolkar, a youth leader and a former Mardol panch, said that around 40-50 percent of the population is dependent on the public distribution system. And those dependent on the system, he said, would vehemently oppose the proposal to close the fair price shops.
“Closing these shops means loss of their livelihood,” he explained.
According to him closing fair price shop to control corruption or malpractices is not the solution as it will directly affect on poor.
The government has already restricted ration cards to those with income of less than Rs 5 lakh. Therefore, he said, now only poor people are benefitting from scheme. Further, he said, “There is no guarantee that in future, the government would not stop providing direct monetary benefits replacing the public distribution system.” Moreover, he added, “If this system is closed, then, the ration card will no longer be a document.”
–.
Association demands Rs 25 lakh compensation per fair price shop
VASCO: The Mormugao Fair Price Shop Association (MFPSA) on Tuesday demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh per fair price shop (FPS) if the State government has to compulsorily close down their outlets due to some compulsion. Addressing a press conference in Vasco, MFPSA President Gandhi Henriques said, “It is today and yesterday we have read in local newspapers that government is yet to take a decision in the next two days about the proposal of closing down fair price shops run under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and switch over to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. All our members are shocked and surprised because most of us have assisted the State government in this service of distribution of essential commodities for the last 35 years and by this decision government will affect the livelihood of 535 families directly and indirectly,” he said.
He emphasised that fair price shops do not make profit. “They either just recover the expenses or even serve without any profit because it is self employed service. Our families depend on this service that we have provided for last so many years.”
He clarified that his association was not against the government extending the subsidy directly. “But we are concerned about our future and therefore we want to know what the government has planned for us,” he said.
Highlighting what it takes a fair price shop, Henriques said, “The licenses were given after many of us had to surrender our employment exchange cards. We had to invest our own money to set up the facility and for the wages paid to workers. We see that this decision would leave many helpless who had assisted the government in Public Distribution System of essential commodities.”
Vice-President of the association Rama Honarvarkar said, “What we would do if our shops are closed? We demand that government come to our rescue. If the government has to compulsorily close down our shops due to some compulsion, then, we have no objection but we demand that in return we should also be compensated at least with Rs 25 lakh per FPS.”
