Prior to the National Food Security Act-2013, former Chief Minister and TDP founder N. T. Rama Rao had given a thought to the food security of the poor and implemented it, said Union Minister of Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
After formally launching the food security scheme here on Friday, Mr. Raju said that e-PoS device had been given to the fair price dealers to check the irregularities in PDS. He said that it was the collective responsibility of dealers and officials that the benefits of the Central and State schemes reached the targeted group.
Rural Development Minister Kimidi Mrunalini said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had enhanced commission of FP shop dealers and also contemplating introducing e-PoS devices to check the graft pertaining to the weight of essentials at the stock points/godowns. In the first phase, e-PoS devices were installed at 306 FP shops out of 1,370 in the district.
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With the introduction of these devices at all FP shops in the State, the government would be able to save Rs. 1300 crore a year, she added. Under this scheme 5 kg of rice @ Re.1 a kg would be supplied to each member of the BPL family.
Water woes
Ms. Mrunalini said that to mitigate drinking water crisis during summer, Rs. 5 crore was released to carry out repairs to the defunct bore wells and other drinking water sources. She said that work on desiltation of 1,200 tanks would begin shortly.
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MLC Gummadi Sandhya Rani, Municipal Chairman P. Ramakrishna, and Joint Collector B. Rama Rao spoke on the occasion.
e-PoS devices have been installed at
306 FP shops out
of a total of 1,370 in Vizianagaram district