Hamirpur DC: Items worth Rs 15-cr distributed in 4 months

Food items worth Rs 15.27 crore were distributed across the district under the Public Distribution System (PDS) over the past four months. This was stated by Deputy Commissioner Amarjit Singh while addressing a review meeting of the Public Distribution Committee of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department here.

The DC said during this period, PDS commodities reached 5,34,135 beneficiaries holding 1,49,539 ration cards, through a network of 316 fair price shops operating in the district. Emphasising the importance of food quality and consumer safety, the DC directed officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, as well as the State Civil Supplies Corporation, to ensure regular inspections and sampling of food items. “Maximum sampling must be undertaken to guarantee quality standards are met,” he said.

He said the department conducted 378 inspections in the last four months, uncovering irregularities in one case. Additionally, 30 samples of various food items were collected for testing, of which one was found unfit for consumption.

He also instructed officials to take stringent action against the use of banned single-use plastics, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to environmental responsibility. The committee also discussed proposals for opening new fair price shops in underserved areas. It was decided that applications meeting departmental criteria would be approved to expand the PDS network.