PDS kerosene quota hiked

MUMBAI, MAY 26: All ration card holders in Mumbai will get an additional litre of kerosene through the public distribution system PDS f...

MUMBAI, MAY 26: All ration card holders in Mumbai will get an additional litre of kerosene through the public distribution system PDS from June 1, 1999, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haribhau Bagde announced today. Addressing a press meet, Bagde said various other measures have also been taken by the Sena-BJP government to provide better service to citizens through the PDS.

8220;Over the years, the number of families using liquified petroleum gas LPG has increased considerably. With present provisions, a family using LPG does not get its quota of kerosene. As a result, about 10 lakh litres of the fuel is not distributed every month. So the government has decided to increase the quantity of kerosene issued per ration card in Mumbai by one litre,8221; the Minister said.

Now, a three-member family will get 15 litres of kerosene, a four-member family 18 litres, a five-member family 21 litres and a six-member family will get 23 litres of kerosene every month through the PDS. By and large, the decision willhelp slumdwellers and lower middle-class citizens, Bagde said.

The Minister also alerted ration card holders about false entries being made in ration cards by ration shop owners. 8220;It has been observed that citizens usually purchase only sugar and in some cases, kerosene, from ration shops. They do not go for wheat and rice and ideally, the grain should come back to the government. The shop owners, however, without knowledge of the card holder, make false entries in their card showing wheat and rice have been purchased. The shop owners then sell the grain in open market, cheating the government and the card holders. I request card holders to check their cards every month and guard against any false entries,8221; Bagade said.

He added licences issued to two ration shops 8211; one in Mazgaon and the other in Thane 8211; have been withdrawn for irregularities in distribution of essential commodities. He said the rationing inspectors supposed to keep a check on these shops 8211; S R Sawant and Y K Phatak 8211; were suspendedfrom service.

The minister said the 33 mobile ration shops will be functional in Mumbai from June 1, 1999. The idea behind the mobile shops was to help citizens in areas where existing rations shops were under much stress and had failed to cater to the card holders.

Bagade said a total of 55 lakh ration cards had already been issued to families below the poverty line, and the remaining would get the cards in the next couple of months. He said other citizens would be issued ration cards on the basis of their financial status and added the process of issuing ration cards would continue.