Officials trained on TDPS entitlement and grievances redressal systems

GANGTOK, 07 July: The Food & Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, DB Thapa, has stressed that the department has an important responsibility towards serving the people by ensuring that all benefits, in right time and quantity, reached the beneficiaries. He urged all the officials and field staff of the department to support and ensure provide quality service to the people as directed by the Chief Minister.
He was speaking at the inaugural function of an awareness programme on Entitlement and Grievances Redressal Mechanism under ‘Targeted Public Distribution System’ [TPDS] for functionaries, PRIs, fair price shop owners and beneficiaries today at Janta Bhawan.

The two-day programme has been organized by the Food & Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department and sponsored by the Ministry of Food & Consumer Distribution.
The Minister stated that the State government was very serious about proper implementation of the public distribution system and the CM has directed the department to provide quality service to the people of the state.
Speaking on the CM’s recent tour of west and south districts, the Minister mentioned that in some areas the people complained of not getting the BPL benefits properly. On the same, he directed the department to take up the matter seriously and ensure that such denials do not happen.
He added that all the lapses and shortfalls in the system have to be plugged and all the benefits reached to the genuine beneficiaries.
However, the Minister also pointed out that the hard work of the Food Incharge and the department in reaching the benefits to difficult areas was never appreciated and noted by the people.
The Minister urged the participants to take full benefit of the training to update and refresh their knowledge.
The Food & Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Secretary, Nalini G Pradhan mentioned that the main objective of the training was to update and inform participants about the new directions of the Ministry and the Supreme Court, which is now very serious on the PDS.
She encouraged officials and staff to update their knowledge and maintain proper records to ensure transparency.
She added that the CM was very serious on the proper implementation of the PDS, so it was important to properly implement the policies and programmes of the government.
The Secretary stated that it was the duty and responsibility of the Food Incharge to monitor and check whether the government’s benefits were reaching the beneficiaries properly or not from the Fair Price Shops.
She informed that for the first time, the state has received 200 metric tons BPL Atta which will be sent to the Fair Price Shops for distribution to the beneficiaries at the rate of Rs 6.80 and if it accepted by the people then the department will request the ministry for regular supply to the state.
Ms Pradhan informed that as per the directions of the central government, the department’s proposal for the computerization of the TPDS has already been approved by the North East Council and it is presently under process at IT Department.
She also informed that the department was launching its official website to make all its works and processes more transparent.
The programme was also attended by the Additional Secretary of the department, KK Kafley. The same programme will be held for the Panchayat members on Friday.