Fair price shop owners (FPSOs) are in limbo, being looked upon as vultures. Mind you, we are very much in service of the people of Goa for many years – without any salary. We are serving faithfully more than any other government servants. In spite of that the government has done nothing to the FPSOs, pertaining to monthly salary.
The government is least bothered over the issue of salary. During Covid-19 pandemic, we even served ration at customers’ door steps, at times without money in their pockets.
The fair price shop owners of Goa are running their business on commission basis which is not at all sufficient to meet even the transportation cost of monthly quotas from the government godown to fair price shops. But even then, the FPSOs, carried out their business activities as usual without any complaints to the authorities. Ever since Covid-19 pandemic, the Government of India started to distribute ‘free quotas’ in addition to ‘cash quotas’ to the ration card holders, the same was handled very well by the FPSOs, in spite of being ‘mask – ridden’ and POS machine handling difficulties with interruption of internet services, especially in remote areas.
In carrying out such activities, the government didn’t even bother to grant some Covid-19 allowance to the FPSOs. After all, they are very much in public service and it falls in the Essential Services Act.
In the month of December 2022, upon submission of our monthly report on December 22, as usual, the FPSOs prepared their monthly quota permit upon cash payment – since it was cash quota and told that there is no ‘free quota’ and so accordingly lifted the quotas upon cash payment.
Soon, after few days time, i.e. to say by January 8, 2023, came a circular to us to issue ration to ‘ration card holders’ – free of cost and the same was followed by all the FPSOs, but the money paid towards e-challan to the government – the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has not even refunded to us our money nor even monthly commission on respective quotas.
We all have done our duties but without any cash in our hand for the last one month or so, what is this? Is it sounds well. Despite of our hard work – nothing -means shocking.
We distributed the ‘free quota’ by spending from our pocket. It was understood during pandemic, but now it has been three years. We can’t afford to give the grains free to card holders, since we have to bear the transportation cost, labour, helpers and many unexpected expenses.
The government is giving free grains to people but we have to bear the expenses of paying rent, electricity bills, maintenance of POS machines and its rolls – now a day’s double rolls since double quotas are issued to the ration card holders.
Now, we fervently pray to the government to grant us ‘monthly salary’ instead of commission. We therefore request the Chief Minister and Civil Supplies Minister to look into the matter, as early as possible and let there be smile on the face of our ‘fair price shop owners’ to serve our valuable ration card holders (customers).
