SANGUEM: The Director of Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs has urged the Chairman of Mahalaxmi V K Society Netravali to explore feasibility of opening an extension counter in one the four wards which are located several kilometres away from the fair price shop.
It may be recalled that consequent to the reports in the local dailies highlighting the plight of the villagers residing in the hilly areas of Verlem, Salgini, Nunem and Tudov in collecting their monthly ration quota from the lone fair price shop in the village, the
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Director of Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs vide letter dated September 16, 2020 decided to take up the issue.
The letter addressed to the Society states that while Salgini Ward is located at a distance of 18 kms, Verlem 12 and Tudov and Nunem are situated at a distance of 10 kms each from the fair price shop and this has made the villagers face hardship in procuring their monthly quota from the fair price shop which is located in the midst of the village.
Incidentally, while the intention of Director Siddhivinayak Naik reaching to the door step of the villagers is highly welcomed, the opening of a new counter will however not solve the problems faced by the villagers at Netravali particularly those residing in the hilly areas.
The major problem faced by the villagers at Netravali and other nearby areas is the problem of internet connectivity due to which the supply of ration quota to the villagers is highly affected.
Ever since the introduction of biometric machines at the fair price shops, the ration card holders are provided with the ration quota only after their physical presence is verified on the biometric machine and this has complicated the process for the ration card holders in the remote Netravali village.
As the village is plagued with internet connectivity, the biometric machine remains non operation for most days of the month and this makes the villagers make frequent trips to collect the ration quota.
The villagers residing in the hilly areas are the most affected as they have to spend their full day to visit the fair price shop in the absence of public transport facility. At times, the villagers residing in the hilly areas form groups and hire private vehicles to come down to the village to collect the ration quota.
While the opening of an additional counter nearby to their hamlets is welcome, the mere opening of such a counter will be of no much use unless the Director of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs permits the fair price shop owners in remote villages like Netravali to distribute ration quota without the operation of biometric machines.
