PANJIM: All Goa Consumer Cooperative Society and Fair Price Shop Owners Association have alleged that by extending the date of distribution of foodgrains till November 26, the government has created confusion between the fair price shop owners and the cardholders.
The Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs had stated that the due to software issue at Food Corporation of India (FCI) level, the FPS dealers could not deliver the entitled quota of foodgrains to the beneficiaries from November 1. Therefore in order to compensate the subject period, the government decided to extend the period of distribution cycle of foodgrains upto November 26 so as to enable the beneficiaries to collect their entitled foodgrains quota of November.
Refusing to accept the department’s statement, Fair Price Shop Owners Association general secretary Gandhi Henriques said, “This is not the full truth. The fact is due to some problem with the transport contractor there were less vehicles transporting foodgrains from Mormugao FCI godown to various godowns across the State.”
Henriques said that he lifted his November month quota by November 10 and distributed it to his cardholders before November 21, which was the last date for distribution.
He said that asking all FPS owners to operate till November 26 was ridiculous as many of them had already completed their distribution of foodgrains. The government is creating confusion between FPS owners and cardholders, he said.
“The government has issued blanket order without realising that most of the FPS owners had completed their distribution and were ready to lift December quota. The department is torturing FPS owner more by such orders,” Henriques said.