Special Correspondent
LUCKNOW: The implementation of the present reservation system in the allotment of fair price shops under the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Uttar Pradesh would be made more effective.
The District Magistrates and district supply officers have been directed to ensure that the quota system was strictly followed in the allotment of vacant FP shops in the rural and urban areas of the State.
A reservation of 21 per cent for the Scheduled Castes, 2 per cent for Scheduled Tribes and 27 per cent for Other Backward Classes was provided under the quota system in the State.
Heavy backlog
There were 2,202 vacant FP shops out of the total 71,814 in the State but the quota system was not being properly implemented in the allotment of shops to the beneficiaries, which resulted in a heavy backlog.
A Government Order issued to this effect states that the reservation of FP shops should be calculated on the basis of total number of FP shops in the districts. In case the number of shops allotted to the reserved category was less, then immediate action should be taken to clear the backlog.
Briefing newsmen, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Shailesh Krishna said in the earlier arrangement the quota was fixed at the block level, which resulted in the backlog.
Now the State Government had ensured that the reserved quota allotment was made at the district level, Mr. Krishna added.
Fill backlog
Mr. Krishna said the DMs and district supply officers had been directed to fill the backlog within three months through a special campaign and these officers would be held accountable for any laxity on this count.
He added that the quarterly review of the backlog position would conducted by the Chief Secretary.
The system of horizontal reservation would also be applied in the allotment of the shops.
Accordingly, 20 percent of the shops would be reserved for women, 8 per cent for the dependents of soldiers wounded or killed during action, five per cent for Freedom Fighters and two per cent for physically impaired persons.
Meanwhile, the Government has directed the DMs to ensure that the roster system was followed in the distribution of foodgrains, sugar and kerosene oil under the PDS.
Streamlining
Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh has issued directives to the DMs for nominating supervising officers in their districts to streamline the PDS.
Mr. Singh said camps would be organised between the fifth and 15th day of each month where the PDS ration would be distributed under the supervision of the supervising officers.
This would ensure improvement in the distribution system and check the practice of foodgrains being sold in the black market by the FP shop licencees.
