Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 15: As ration items have not been supplied in sufficient quantities to ration shops located in Kotekar, Kinya and Belma areas which fall under the constituency of food and civil supplies minister, U T Khader, the owners of these shops contemplate closure of their shops temporarily.

The owners of these shops say that this problem has arisen particularly after the introduction of coupons system. They say that because of short supply of items on time, they have been unable to provide the items needed by people who approach them with coupons. They feel it better to keep the shutters of their shops till the situation improves.

The problem has particularly aggravated after the new system was brought into force. Although coupons have been distributed, and rice has to be supplied to the extent of quantity mentioned therein, ration shop owners rue the fact that they are unable to upload the details for the information of the food department. They say that many a time, coupon numbers entered in the site through cyber centres do not get uploaded, and hence there is shortfall in supply of rice. As rice in sufficient quantities does not get supplied, the ration shop operators frequently come under fire from the customers. People too get frustrated at the need to frequently visit the shop and go back empty-handed.

The government is finding it difficult to provide rice in required quantity. The shop owners wonder how can it hope to supply nutritious food grains as per its ambitious plan.

The shop owners are learnt to have written to the deputy director of food and civil supplies department on the issue. "When the minister was approached with this problem, he asked us to contact the deputy director. But the deputy director, showing arrogance, warned us of closing down the shops," says Satish, who owns a ration shop at Kinya.