Five ration shops in the State capital of Raipur will start selling fresh vegetables besides onion and potatoes from Sunday at cheaper rates, officials said. The local women self help groups have taken the initiatives following the special interest shown by Chief Minister Raman Singh.
In the first phase, people would be able to get the vegetables, onion and potatoes at five ration shops. These items would be available for sale from 1 p.m. onwards at the five ration shops from 1 pm starting from July 13. It will be expanded to other fair price shops in other places of Raipur and other cities in the State.
Food and Civil Supplies minister Punnulal Mohle has appealed the people to take advantage of this new system. Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department officials said here that the new system has been introduced under the public distribution system.
Under it, vegetables, onion and potatoes would be available at cheaper rate at the fare shops run by Gayatri Community Development Samiti in Tikarapara, Sonashree Women Self Help Group at at Ashok Nagar, Chalo Chalei Community Development Samiti near Ram Nagar overbridge, and Maa Santoshi Women Self help group at Khambardihi. It will also be available at the fare price shop operated by Prina Community Development Samiti at Raja Talab.
The potatoes, onions and fresh vegetables will be sold in the fare shops run by the self help groups at reasonable prices, which are much cheaper than the market rates, they said. The farmers of the villages around the town will directly supply the fresh vegetables at wholesale prices to the ration shops.