PONDA: As the foodgrain racket turns murkier by the day after the Crime branch cracked down on the daylight robbery and tightened its noose around the accused for smuggling foodgrain meant for the poor stored in government warehouses and selling it to buyers in Karnataka, some Fair Price shop owners here stated that they followed the rule book and had nothing to hide nor had any role to play in selling foodgrain in the black market.
“We are transparent and the question of leakages or illegal distribution does not arise as we follow the Point of Sale (POS) device at the Fair Price Shop (FPS),” said the owners.
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A staff at the FPS said “There is no scope for pilferage of foodgrain. Under this system, ration goods are distributed to beneficiaries only after validation of biometric identification. Besides, the daily account of sold and unsold ration is prepared.”
Some other FPS owners stated that ration is distributed to the card holders upto the 21st of every month and a monthly account is submitted to the Directorate of Civil Supplies.
“The quantity issued to the consumer is mentioned in their ration card as well as a separate register is maintained at every FPS along with daily slips issued on the machine. The balance of unsold quota lying with us is submitted to the department on the 22nd of every month and only after deducting it the monthly sanctioned quota is purchased from the Civil Supplies Department,” they said.
Earlier, if in case, there was a problem with the machine then, the fair price society operator was allowed to scan his finger and distribute ration to the card holder who faced identification problems. However, this system has now been discontinued by the government since June.
