The price of daily necessities is increasing day by day. Common people are getting frustrated due to price increase. In this situation, the state government (West Bengal Government) will sell various essential household items at a much lower price than the market through the ration shop to give some relief to the common people. As a result of this decision, rice, wheat, flour along with mustard oil, soap, shampoo, jam, jelly, pickles, bread, eggs, milk, curd, cheese will be available in the ration shop in the near future. Again, the income of ration dealers will increase in this system. In this regard, guidelines have been sent from the food department to the district.
Food Minister Rathin Ghosh said on Tuesday, “We are making this arrangement so that common people can buy things at low prices. But ration dealers can only sell packaged things. The quality will be right.”
Naturally, the ration dealers are happy with this decision of the government. Secretary of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation Vishwambhar Basu said that at the moment 20281 Ration Dealers are maintaining the public distribution system in the whole state. As the ration system has gradually shrunk, their income has decreased greatly. Again, after the introduction of door ration, the cost of ration dealers increased, compared to that, the commission did not increase. Dealers’ income will increase if other items are sold in ration.
Under the new scheme, ration dealers will be able to buy and sell commodities from any agency approved by the government. They will include branded items, as well as items made by self-help groups, cooperative societies, small and medium industrialists. A ration dealer can stock a maximum of five brands of goods. The price of the goods must be less than the retail market price.
The state government (West Bengal Government) has decided that if you want to sell any item through the ration shop, you must first apply to the district controller. The District Controllers will judge the quality of the products. The applicant shall submit the report within 45 days of application for examination of goods. The applicant will have to get the goods tested by a FASAI approved laboratory. He will submit that report to the District Controller. The ‘District Level Selection Committee’ will decide which items can be sold in ration. At the head of which will be Additional District Magistrate (Food). The Member-Convener of the Selection Committee will be the District Controller or the Deputy Director of Rationing. In case of Calcutta, the Committee will be headed by the Director of Rationing. The price of goods and dealers’ commission will be fixed through negotiation. But the government will not have a role in it.
Variation in rations
1) There are 20281 ration dealers in the state
2) Daily necessities will be available at low prices
3) Goods manufactured by self-help groups with reputed brands will be sold
4) Quality Assurance Selection Committee
5) Income of ration dealers will increase