Nagpur: Citing trends of inflation and to ensure that citizens do not face trouble, the Central Government has decided to provide food grains at subsidised rates through railway stations in the country.
The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has started the pilot scheme of vending Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice so that general consumers can buy the same at subsidised rates and help tackle the inflation. As per the scheme, consumers will be getting atta at the rate of Rs 27.50/kg and rice at the rate of Rs 29/kg.
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Tuesday 12 Nov. 2024
The Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) have been asked to earmark locations for parking mobile vans in their respective railway stations. Locations for parking mobile vans should be identified ensuring no congestion and hindrance in normal flow of traffic movement. Every railway station will have only one mobile for parking for a maximum of two hours every day in the evening for consumers. The DRMs will decide at what time vending mobile vans will be allowed to park at respective railway stations.
Mobile vans will be allowed to carry banners of Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice under the consumer affairs, food and distribution ministry scheme. No other banner and advertisement will be permitted. Besides Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice no other items will be allowed for sale. No announcement and audio, playing on the mobile vans will be permitted.
The vans will be placed in circulating areas during the evening hours where citizens can make their purchases. The scheme is going to be run for three months and the same is a pilot project aimed at helping out citizens. Apart from railway passengers, even the general public can purchase the two items from stations. The van would remain stationed at the railway stations for a period of two hours only and station officials and vendors would ensure there is no crowding at the joint.
The Ministry of Food Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had written to the Railway Ministry a letter about the scheme in the month of February. In March, after deliberating over the matter, the Railway Board gave its nod. In the explanatory note, the Board said that since the scheme envisages providing accessibility to affordable foodgrains, no licence fees or revenue share should be charged from the sellers.
In view of this, Railways will not be liable for any deficiency in services, especially in case there is a question mark over the quality of foodgrains being sold under the scheme. The Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCMs) would oversee the implementation of the scheme at stations.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs will share the list of stations identified for selling foodgrains along with the name of the implementing agency. Further during the three months period, the implementing agency will remain the same. Local DRMs and field officials will determine the place where the foodgrains van can be stationed in the station’s circulating area, ensuring that the same does not infringe upon movement of rail travellers and there is no congestion as such at the point.
