House passes grants for CAPD and transport deptt

To streamline the public distribution system in the state, minister for consumer affairs and public distribution (CAPD) and transport, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan on Friday announced that 7,679 new food stores are being setup, for which Rs50 crore have already been released.

To streamline the public distribution system in the state, minister for consumer affairs and public distribution (CAPD) and transport, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan on Friday announced that 7,679 new food stores are being setup, for which Rs50 crore have already been released.

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The minister said this while replying to the demand of grants of CAPD and transport department in the legislative assembly here this afternoon. The minister said these new food stores would be setup in both hilly and plain areas as per the requirement.

With regard to Food Security Act, the minister informed the House that the said Act would not be implemented in toto, however, it would be implemented in parts in accordance with the requirement of the state so that no ration card holder is deprived of benefits under the state's public distribution system.

Ramzan said that the government has formulated an action plan for introduction of e-PDS amounting to Rs21.64 crore for creation of database for godowns, fair price shops, PDS agencies, digitisation of ration tickets and some components of supply chain management under component-1.

"The proposal has been submitted to the central government for approval and release of matching share. The step is aimed to ensure complete transparency in the functioning of the department," said the minister. Earlier, the minister moved the demand for grant of a sum of Rs1,098.8 crore to defray the charges which will come in the course of payment during the year ending March, 2015.

Later, the House passed the grants with the voice vote.