What are Fair price shops? Why are they opened? Explain the problems of functioning of these shops.
Ration shops that keep stock of food grains, sugar, and kerosene oil for cooking are known as Fair Price Shops. The items in these shops are sold to people at a price lower than the market price.
They have been set up to help the poor. The poor people are given 3 different ration cards;
i. Antyodaya cards for the poorest of the poor.
ii. BPL cards for those below poverty line.
iii. APL cards for all others.
A family having any of these ration cards can buy a stipulated amount of given below items every month from the nearby ration shop;
Problems in functioning of these shops:
They have been set up to help the poor. The poor people are given 3 different ration cards;
i. Antyodaya cards for the poorest of the poor.
ii. BPL cards for those below poverty line.
iii. APL cards for all others.
A family having any of these ration cards can buy a stipulated amount of given below items every month from the nearby ration shop;
- 35 kg of grains
- 5 litres of kerosene
- 5 kgs of sugar etc.
Problems in functioning of these shops:
- The system works as per the public distribution system (PDS) which itself is suffering problems in its functions.
- In the beginning the coverage of PDS was universal with no discrimination between the poor and non-poor but later on there began difference between rich and poor.
- In 2000, two special schemes were launched; Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and the Annapurna Scheme (APS) especially for the poorest groups in the society.
- Instances of hunger are still going on and that too when the granaries are overflowing. FCI go-downs are overflowing with grains with some rotting away and some being eaten by rats.