PANJIM: A long pending demand of fair price shops (FPS) across the State demanding relief for two percent loss suffered during distribution of food grain and handling of huge quantity of grain is likely to be fulfilled, as the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs has assured them to place the matter before the government for approval in computing such loss.
All Goa Fair Price Shop Owners Association general secretary Gandhi Henriques told O Heraldo that they have been demanding relief from the State government for the loss suffered during distribution of food grains from the godown to the fair price shops, and later during weighing and putting the weighed food grains into the bag of the ration cardholders.
Henriques said that two per cent loss was a quite a big amount for the fair price shops owners handling huge quantity of food grains. He said that the matter was discussed during the last meeting, held a week ago, which was chaired by officiating Director of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Upasana Mazgaonkar.
The director informed the association members that the department has received information from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) as to how to handle the losses suffered by all fair price shops. She also informed them that the FCI has suggested 1-1.5 per actual loss on the total quantity of grain handled. She assured the association that she will send a proposal to the government as a legitimate loss suffered by them as it was also supported by FCI, which is also implementing it, and seek the government’s approval in computing such losses.
“We all are awaiting so many assurances to be met, while more and more fair price shops are planning to close down as it was becoming unviable to run such shops,” Henriques said.
