Latest important demand regarding re-enforcing proxy procedures at fair price ration shops across TN?
Until the month of May in 2023, the senior citizens above the age of 80 were exempted from buying the essential items from the fair price shops across TN in person. Things have changed and now as per the new order it is compulsory for the senior citizens above the age of 80 to visit the fair price shops to get their essential commodities etc. Now, many senior citizens want the TN govt to review this order.
Across the state of TN, there are as many as 35169 fair price ration shops and this includes 25580 full time shops and 9580 part time shops. It is worthy to mention here that according to Food and Consumer Protection Dept officials at all the above mentioned fair price shops in TN the senior citizens above the age of 80 must compulsorily visit the shop in person to register their fingerprints or iris in the biometric PoS devices. Point is that this order has come into effect since June last year.
Proxy procedure to get essential items:
It must be recalled that from 2022 senior citizens above the age of 80 who cannot come to the fair price ration shops in person could send another person or an alternative person (with a letter from concerned tahsildar etc) to collect the essential items from these fair price ration shops. This was according to a senior citizen from Nanganallur in south Chennai. He spoke about how this proxy procedure was cancelled by the Cooperative Food Supply and Consumer Protection from May 2023.
A resident from Velachery expressed his thoughts. He spoke about how it was necessary to avail ration items every month. He added that previously authorised representatives have been purchasing the essential items from the fair price ration shops and there was no problem.
Now, due to the new biometric machine plus due to the new order ration shops would only provide essential items after the mandatory registration of fingerprints or iris from the family heads. He concluded that as there has been shortage of tur dal and palm oil etc in the ration shops it would be very difficult to visit the ration shops at this age. Now, many senior citizens want the TN govt to enforce the earlier proxy procedure to get the essential items from the fair price ration shops.
