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Centre asks states to exempt fair price shops from restricted opening

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The measure will ensure that food grain under PMGKAY III and NFSA will be made available by states/UTs to all NFSA beneficiaries in a safe and time bound manner, duly observing COVID -19 protocols

TFM Desk

In view of ongoing lockdown in some states/UTs, that may curtail the functioning hours of fair price shop (FPSs), an advisory has been issued by Department of Food and Public Distribution to all states/UTs to keep the fair price shops open preferably on all days of the month. The directive was issued to ensure distribution of PMGKAY III and NFSA foodgrains to beneficiaries in a staggered manner throughout the day to allow for proper social distancing or adherence to COVID-19 protocols at fair price shops, it said.

To facilitate this, states/UTs have been requested to ensure that fair price shops are exempted from the restricted hours of opening of regular markets, according to PIB. 

This measure will ensure that food grain under PMGKAY III and NFSA will be made available by states/UTs to all NFSA beneficiaries in a safe and time bound manner, duly observing COVID -19 protocols, as per advisories issued by this department, it added.

All states/UTs have been requested to take necessary steps for timely distribution of foodgrains at their FPSs without causing hardships to the beneficiaries, and to give wide publicity to the measures undertaken in this regard.

The official report also stated that distributors started implementation of “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana” (PM-GKAY III) for two months period i.e. May and June 2021 in same pattern as earlier by providing an additional quota of free-of-cost foodgrains (Rice/Wheat) at a scale of 5 Kg per person per month, over and above their regular monthly NFSA entitlements to about 80 Crore beneficiaries covered under both categories of NFSA, namely Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Householders (PHH). 

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