Government of Andhra Pradesh with GO MS 10 on 3 September 2024 issued Orders for rationalization of existing Fair Price Shops in the State by attaching the required number of cards to each shop for convenience of the cardholder in the locality and keeping in view the economic viability of the fair price shop.
- Rural areas: 400 to 450 cards
- Urban areas: 500 to 550 cards
- Corporations: 600 to 650 cards
- Rural areas- Each Gram Panchayat (v) should have at least one F.P. shop with a minimum of 400 cards. In case, there are more number of cards in excess of the minimum number of cards i.e 400 in a village there can be two FP Shops, provided the total number of cards in that village is not less than 600 and the number of cards should be attached to the two Fair Price Shops equally.
- Opening of a fair price shop within one kilometer radius of the residence of the card holder shall be scrupulously followed.
During the departmental review meeting chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Andhra Pradesh on 02.08.2024, the following discussions / suggestions are made:
“It is observed that, certain shops are having more number of cards and certain shops are having less number of cards. It is decided that an exercise of rationalization of shops may be undertaken, duly keeping their economic viability in view, and then appropriate action for fling them may be taken up”.
The Commissioner of Civil Supplies, Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada has informed that the following problems occurred on existing norms;
- No uniformity in attaching ration cards to each shop
- affected on the certain ration cardholders to travel long distance for drawing their entitlement
- certain FP shop dealers are facing financial issues in maintenance of shops due to low number of cards
Keeping in view of the problems on existing norms, the Commissioner of Civil Supplies, Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada has proposed to optimize the rice cards to be allotted to Fair Price Shops having more than 800 cards in a shop duly following the existing norms indicated in G.O.Ms.No.35, dated 17.9.2007 as detailed below:-
| No.of Shops | 801-1000 cards | 1001- 1500 cards | 1501- 2000 cards | >2000 cards |
| 1842 | 850 | 75 | 7 |
In order to implement the rationalization of the shops in the State, about 2,774 shops would additionally be created for which an amount of Rs.11.51 Crores is required @ Rs.41,500 per shop for procuring ePoS Device-cum-Weighing Scale, Paper Rolls, Sim Card etc., for 2,774 Fair Price Shops and an amount of Rs.1.21 crores per annum @ Rs.10.12 lakhs per month is required towards recurring expenditure on ePoS Device maintenance.
Government after careful examination, hereby approve the proposal of the Commissioner of Civil Supplies, Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada as follows;
- for rationalization and creation of about 2,774 Fair Price Shops.
- to provide budget for an amount of Rs.11.51 Crore @ Rs.41,500 per Shop for procuring ePoS Device-cum-Weighing Scale, Paper Rolls, Sim Card etc., for 2,774 Fair Price Shops.
- to provide additional budget of Rs.1.21 crores per annum @ Rs.10.12 lakhs per month towards recurring expenditure on ePoS device maintenance.
The Commissioner of Civil Supplies, Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada shall take necessary action accordingly. He shall issue further detailed operational guidelines, get the task completed and report compliance to the government.
This order issues with the concurrence of the Finance Department vide their U.O. No.FIN01-FMU0PC(CSUP)/2/2024-FMU-AC-CS-AH (Computer No.2537246), Dated 25.08.2024.
