Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarapani conducted a review meeting here on Saturday.
Mr. Sakkarapani, along with Agriculture Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam, inaugurated a part-time ration shop at Kamaraj Nagar in Karimangalam taluk. This ration shop will function on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Later, Mr. Sakkarapani conducted a review meeting at the Dharmapuri Collectorate.
Mr. Sakkarapani said that in just 14 months, “we have provided 13 lakh smart ration cards. The Chief Minister instructed us to divide the ration shops, which have more than 1,000 ration cards. The new ration shops, which are under construction, have toilet facilities for the people, and the Union Government has congratulated the government for this initiative. For safeguarding paddy procured from farmers, ₹250 crore has been allocated for constructing storage facilities which will have the capacity of storing three lakh paddy bags.”
Mr. Sakkarapani explained the steps taken to prevent ration rice smuggling, saying additional two zones, Tiruchi and Coimbatore, were created for Civil Supplies CID.
Mr. Panneerselvam told officials to ensure that all the essential commodities reached the people through ration shops without delay.
The Ministers also distributed welfare assistance to the tune of ₹1.72 crore to 257 beneficiaries.
In the evening, Mr. Sakkarapani, Mr. Pannerselvam and Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar flagged off bus service to Vathamalai hills and 16 new bus routes in the district.
