At a meeting held at Mahanadi Bhawan, Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel conducted a comprehensive review of the food department’s operations with senior officials. The Minister discussed the government’s initiative to distribute a three-month supply of rice to all ration cardholders from June to August. He highlighted that distribution through 13,965 government fair price shops began on June 1st. Baghel directed officials to accelerate distribution and ensure all cardholders receive their full allocation. He also mandated immediate action upon receiving complaints about distribution irregularities. In addition, he inquired about the status of rice storage in fair price shops.
The meeting also covered the stock verification process from 2022-23 to 2024-25. Officials reported that the recovery of deficient food grains, identified after physical verification in September 2022, is underway. They stated that approximately 124 crore rupees worth of ration materials were found missing from 335 fair price shops, with 119 crore rupees recovered. The recovery of the remaining 5 crore rupees is in progress. Furthermore, FIRs were filed against 27 fair price shop operators. Baghel instructed officials to expedite the remaining recoveries. The Minister also inquired about the distribution and storage of chickpea.
Furthermore, Minister Baghel assessed the rice deposit status in the Central and State pools by millers during the Kharif marketing years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Officials informed that millers have been granted until June 30th to deposit the remaining 0.88 lakh metric tons of rice from the 2023-24 season. For the Kharif marketing year 2024-25, 25.43 lakh metric tons of rice is to be deposited, of which 14.86 lakh metric tons have already been procured, accounting for 58.43 percent. The remaining rice deposits are ongoing. Baghel directed that the June 30th deadline for the financial year 2023-24 rice deposit should not be extended and urged the rapid deposit of rice. He also reviewed preparations for paddy procurement in the upcoming Kharif marketing year 2025-26, including procurement arrangements in committees, the physical condition of paddy at collection centers, the disbursement of incentive payments to millers, and the status of court cases.
Minister Baghel also announced the start of a recruitment drive to fill vacant positions. He instructed officials to submit recruitment proposals to PSC and Vyapam for posts that the finance department had already approved. He directed that the vacant positions of chairpersons and members in the consumer commissions at both state and district levels be filled legally. He also emphasized the speedy resolution of pending cases in the commissions. The Minister reviewed the Legal Metrology Department’s progress. Officials from the Weights and Measures Department reported a revenue of 13.5 crore rupees from verification and stamping in 2024-25. In addition, 2.21 lakh weighing and measuring instruments were verified. Baghel suggested simplifying the measurement process and reducing the licensing timeframe.