In a bid to provide essential commodities at subsidised rates to more people across the city, the Triplicane Urban Cooperative Society is in the process of opening new fair price shops.
As part of its efforts, the Society recently submitted a list of 20 Chennai Corporation-owned sites identified across the city to the civic body. At present, the Society serves nearly four lakh families through 258 fair price shops. According to sources, some of the shops operate in congested sites for want of space. The co-operative society is in dire need of space to shift their shops in areas such as Chetpet, Kodambakkam, T. Nagar and Mylapore.
On an average, each shop serves 1,600 card holders.
While a minimum of 600 sq.ft. of space is needed to operate and store commodities such as pulses, wheat, rice and sugar, some of the shops function in half this area.
“We have chosen sites depending on public access. The civic body could provide space in their multi-purpose halls. The Corporation could build shops on the sites and provide us with facilities for the monthly rent,” said a source from TUCS.
The society also proposes to set up a mini-super market along with fair price shops wherever space is available. This would enable customers to purchase groceries at subsidised prices as well.
Meanwhile, a resolution was passed in one of the Corporation’s ward committee meetings held recently, to shift a TUCS fair price shop in West Mambalam to a Corporation-owned spacious hall in the same area.
