Over 5.47 lakh ration cardholders availed the ration supply in presence of local Panch-Sarpanch, public representatives and other nominated nodal officers, during the Rice Festival organised in fair price shops of over 5,908 haat-bazaars of Chhattisgarh under Public Distribution System, in the month of July, an official statement issued informed here on Tuesday.
During this rice festival, the ration-cardholders were distributed over 2 lakh 37 thousand 104 quintals rice, 22,313 quintals of wheat, 27,711 quintals of sugar, 27,731 quintals of Amrit salt and 4 lakh 71 thousand 971 litres of kerosene at the fixed fair prices. Moreover, on the day when rice festival was organized, about 1602 beneficiaries were provided old-age pension and about 1816 beneficiaries were provided social security pension.
It is noteworthy that as per the instructions of Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, 'rice festival' is organized in all the fair price ration shops of state regularly so as to maintain transparency in the implementation of public distribution system. This programme is organized in the first week of every month, during which ration-cardholders are distributed ration in presence of panch-sarpanch and the nodal officers nominated by administration. Officials of Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection Department informed today that under PDS, rice festival is organized on the days decided by government. In the villages where haat-bazaars are held, there the rice festival is organized in the fair price shops on the first haat-bazaar held after 6th day of every month. Moreover, in other fair price shops this programme is organized on 7th of every month. For successful accomplishment of rice festival, a nodal officer has been appointed in each of the fair price shops of districts.