In a meeting at Mahanadi Bhawan, Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel assessed the functioning of the food department with senior officials. The minister discussed the government’s decision to provide three months’ worth of rice to all ration cardholders from June to August. He noted that the distribution through 13,965 government fair price shops across the state began on June 1st. He instructed officials to speed up the distribution and ensure that all cardholders receive their complete allocation. Baghel also emphasized the need for immediate action on any reports of problems with the rice distribution. He also reviewed the status of rice storage at the fair price shops.
Baghel also took stock of the stock verification process from 2022-23 to 2024-25. Officials reported that the recovery of the shortfall in food grains, identified during the September 2022 physical verification, is proceeding rapidly. They stated that about 124 crore rupees worth of ration materials were missing from 335 fair price shops, with 119 crore rupees recovered. The recovery of the remaining 5 crore rupees is underway. Furthermore, FIRs were filed against 27 fair price shop operators. Baghel directed officials to expedite the remaining recoveries. The Minister also inquired about the distribution and storage of chickpea.
Furthermore, Minister Baghel reviewed the rice deposit situation in the Central and State pools by millers during the Kharif marketing years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Officials said that millers have been given until June 30 to deposit the remaining 0.88 lakh metric tons of rice for the year 2023-24. For the Kharif marketing year 2024-25, 25.43 lakh metric tons of rice is to be deposited, of which 14.86 lakh metric tons have been procured, representing 58.43 percent. The process of depositing the remaining rice is continuing at a rapid pace. Baghel directed that no extension be given beyond the June 30 deadline for rice deposit for the financial year 2023-24 and instructed that the rice be deposited promptly. He also reviewed the preparations for paddy procurement in the upcoming Kharif marketing year 2025-26, the procurement arrangements in committees, the physical condition of paddy in the collection centers, the payment of incentive amounts to millers, and the status of court cases.
Minister Baghel also announced the beginning of the recruitment process to fill vacant posts. He instructed officials to send recruitment proposals to PSC and Vyapam for positions that had been approved by the finance department. He stated that action should be taken to fill the vacant posts of chairpersons and members in consumer commissions at the state and district levels, in accordance with the law. He also emphasized the swift resolution of pending cases in the commissions. The Minister reviewed the progress of the Legal Metrology Department. Officials from the Weights and Measures Department reported that revenue of 13.5 crore rupees had been generated from verification and stamping in 2024-25. Additionally, 2.21 lakh weighing and measuring instruments were verified. Baghel stated that the measurement process should be simplified, and the time limit for issuing licenses should also be reduced.
