Punjab Govt suspends licenses of 7 more ration depots

Chandigarh, Sep 9 (UNI) The Punjab Government today suspended the licenses of seven more ration depots in the state after detection of various irregularities during the ongoing intensive checking campaign launched by the Food and Supply Department for effective implementation of various welfare schemes of the government.

It may be recalled that the department last week had registered FIRs against three ration depots and suspended the supply of 72 others for various irregularities detected during the checks.

An official spokesman said today that teams of Food and Supply Department had conducted more than 1933 surprise raids on various ration depots to check irregularities in the implementation of Kanak-Dal Scheme (wheat and pulses scheme) which aims to provide wheat and pulses at subsidised rates to those having an annual income of less than Rs 30,000.

Meanwhile the State Government has activated its distribution machinery for smooth supply of wheat and pulses to the beneficiaries in the month of September. All ration depots that had deposited money for the September stock had been issued directions to lift the stocks of the foodgrains from the respective warehouses latest by September 15. It would be mandatory for each ration depot to start distribution from September 16.

UNI