A study prepared by a committee appointed by the Food and Civil Supplies department, which recommends the closure of nearly 4,000 ration outlets as a means for increasing dealers’ commissions, has sparked criticism.
Ration dealers’ organisations have condemned the proposals as inhumane and have urged the government to refrain by implementing the recommendations.
The report, submitted in April 2024, emerged in the public domain, nearly a year after it had been submitted to the department. The committee, chaired by former Controller of Rationing Manoj Kumar K., was tasked with reviewing various aspects of the National Food Security Act, 2013, and other issues including the revision of wages for ration dealers and the overall management of ration outlets.
Significant disparity
One of the key recommendations made by the committee was to limit the number of authorised retail dealers (ARD) to 10,000. While the study recorded 13,872 outlets, the current figure stands at 13,893 (excluding outlets run by agencies such as cooperative societies and Kudumbasree units). The report also highlighted a significant disparity in the distribution of ration outlets across the State, with southern districts having a disproportionately higher number of outlets compared to the north.
The committee’s analysis found that 11,713 ARDs were receiving monthly commissions above ₹18,000, while 973 outlets were making less than ₹15,000. Moreover, 85 outlets had a ration off-take below 15 quintals a month. These included 22 shops in Idukki, 19 in Pathanamthitta, and 11 each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. The committee recommended the closure of these outlets.
All Kerala Retail Ration Dealers’ Association criticised the government’s approach, arguing it would affect several ration dealers, particularly those who are already struggling to make ends meet.
It also questioned the hypocrisy of such measures, drawing comparisons to the continued support for several anganwadis, which cater to only a small number of children but still receive government aid. The association also called for a comprehensive study before any new shops are opened.
The committee also proposed several measures aimed at optimising the operation of ration shops. These include ensuring that each shop serves at least 800 ration cardholders and merging multiple outlets operated by the same licensees. The other proposals include increasing the retail price of rice for non-priority subsidy beneficiaries from ₹4 to ₹6 per kg. The price hike is anticipated to generate an additional revenue of ₹3.14 crore.
Published – March 14, 2025 07:57 pm IST
