Bhubaneswar: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra held a review meeting Thursday to assess the activities of the department at the Lok Seva Bhawan conference hall. The meeting was attended by department principal secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh, Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation managing director Shubham Saxena, and other senior officials.
During the meeting, Singh briefed the minister on various ongoing initiatives within the department. Minister Patra emphasised the importance of ensuring a smooth paddy procurement process during the current kharif season. He urged officials to prioritise farmers’ interests and promptly address any grievances. He further directed that no registered farmer should be deprived of the paddy procurement process. The minister also discussed the Public Distribution System (PDS), announcing that eligible beneficiaries will receive their monthly rations starting in January. He stressed that the rations should be distributed by the last week of the preceding month and, in cases of need, for two months at a time. To expedite this, Patra instructed the timely lifting of supplies to ensure smooth distribution.
Additionally, Minister Patra highlighted the progress of e-KYC verification, noting that 84 per cent of the process had been completed in the state. He directed officials to complete the e-KYC process at the earliest and maintain vigilance on price rises. Patra called for increased enforcement against hoarders and emphasised the importance of public awareness campaigns. The filling of vacancies in district consumer forums was also discussed.
