Agartala, January 30: It has been decided to open 51 more fair price shops across the state to strengthen the public distribution system of the state. Minister of Food, Public Procurement and Consumer Affairs Department Sushanta Chowdhury said this at a press conference at the Secretariat today.
He said that currently there are a total of 2,600 fair price shops in the entire state. A total of 252 new fair price shops have been opened in various divisions of the state during the last five years. 51 more fair price shops will be opened based on this new decision of the Food Department. 51 more fair price shops will be opened across the state by dividing the fair price shops which currently have 800 or more ration cards into 400 cards.
He said that according to the rules set by the state government, the minimum number of tagged ration cards should be 400 in the case of opening a new fair price shop in rural or urban areas.
Mentioning the names of the subdivisions in which these new 51 fair price shops will be opened, the Food Minister said, 7 in Dharmanagar, 1 in Panisagar, 1 in Kanchanpur, 3 in Kailashahar, 5 in Kumarghat, 2 in Kamalpur, 1 in Khowai, 2 in Teliamura, 6 in Jirania, 1 in Mohanpur, Bishalgarh. 1, Sadar 2, Sonamura 6, Udaipur 8, Belonia 1, Sabrum 3 and Korbuk 1.
Food Minister Sushanta Chowdhury highlighted some other important decisions of the Food Department, he said that all ration card holders in the state will be given additional five (05) kg rice per card at a cost of Tk 13 per kg for the next two months i.e. February and March 2024. The decision has been made. About 10,000 metric tons of rice will be allocated to the Food Department in two months.
The minister said that currently 26 women workers are engaged in cleaning work on daily wages in the central store of the food department in Arundhatinagar, headquarters under the department. At present, it has been decided to increase their daily wages from Rs 150 to Rs 306.
Food Minister Sushanta Chowdhury while announcing another decision of the Food Department said that dairy products produced by Gomati Dairy Farm will be distributed through fair price shops. Initially as a pilot project, these items will be available at a total of 15 fair price shops identified in different areas of Sadar Sub-division. Ingredients will include gomti ice cream, curd, ghee and paneer.
He said, based on the success, there are plans to start this service in other divisions of the state. The press conference was also attended by Secretary of Food, Public Procurement and Consumer Affairs Department Raval Hemendra Kumar, Director of Food, Public Procurement and Consumer Affairs Department Nirmal Adhikari and Deputy Director Animesh Debbarma.
