Now, essential goods will be supplied through fair price shops in Andhra Pradesh, says Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan

The government has made provision to deliver ration supplies directly to the homes of differently-abled individuals and senior citizens aged above 65, says Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan. File | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan has said that essential goods will be supplied through fair price shops twice a day for 15 days every month from June 1 (Sunday).

In a statement on Saturday, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said that during the previous government’s term, the fair price shops that provided ration supplies to the poor were shut down with the claim that the ration would be delivered to every household. Vehicles worth ₹1,600 crore were purchased for the purpose, but, eventually, door-to-door delivery was stopped.

Instead, the vehicles were stationed at junctions just for 1–2 days a month, causing many poor people to miss out on their essential supplies. With no clarity on when the vehicles would arrive, people were forced to skip daily wage work and take leave from small jobs, leading to great inconvenience, he said.

The coalition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, under the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, conducted a thorough investigation into the illegal diversion of leftover ration rice and supplies. Thousands of tonnes of illegally transported rice was seized in the Kakinada and Visakhapatnam ports, he said.

To prevent such irregularities and ensure every poor family received the entitled ration, the government would now distribute ration supplies at the fair price shops from the 1st to the 15th of every month. The shops would operate in two shifts — 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. This would not only reduce congestion but also ensure that every family got its share, he said.

Additionally, the government made provision to deliver ration supplies directly to the homes of differently-abled individuals and senior citizens aged above 65, he said, adding, “I urge all citizens to make full use of the facility. I am hopeful that under the leadership of Nadendla Manohar, Minister for Civil Supplies, the initiative will be implemented effectively and earn public appreciation.“

Published - May 31, 2025 08:26 pm IST