e-PoS to keep tab on PDS: Minister

Minister for Civil Supplies Paritala Sunitha on Monday said in tune with government’s seriousness to ensure that essential commodities were not diverted and misused, e-weighing and e-PoS (electronic Point of Sale) systems were being introduced in fair price shops.

Thus far, 6,000 FP shops were covered under this programme to usher in transparency and accountability in the public distribution system, she informed the House. Replying to a question by member Gunnugguntla Suryanarayana, she said there were no shortages in the weight of commodities supplied from multi-level stock (MLS) points to the shops.

She agreed that instances of commodities being illegally diverted were brought to the notice of government and said that now, commodities were being transported to the doorstep of the FP shops under the supervision of a Route Officer and officials were regularly conducting inspections of MLS points and FP shops/kerosene dealers.

Ms. Sunitha said the government was determined to see that fair price shop dealers violating the rules were brought to book. Of a total of 1.38 crore white cards (Below Poverty Line cards) that were issued, atleast 8 lakh were found to be bogus and weeded out, she added.

Replying to another question, Agriculture Minister P. Pulla Reddy told the House that the government was taking steps to ensure that every applicant registering for the drip and sprinkler irrigation programme got sanction. Anantapur district would be taken up for saturation coverage and promoted as a model district, he said, in reply to a question asked by Y. Visveswara Reddy (Uravakonda) of YSRC. The MLA said even in drought-affected districts such as Anantapur, it was extremely helpful to farmers.

Earlier, Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao had to adjourn the House for ten minutes, when YSRC members wanted their motion to discuss farmers' suicides be taken up. When their demand was rejected, they raised slogans and tried to disrupt the proceedings.

Till now 6,000 FP shops are covered under the programme to usher in transparency and accountability in the public distribution system.

Paritala Sunitha

Minister for Civil Supplies