Port Blair, Sept 21: The Directorate of Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (CS&CA) of this Administration committed to implement the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in the entire UT as well as to safeguard the interest of the consumers by way of enforcing various Control Orders/Regulations framed under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
The TPDS is functioning successfully in this UT covering almost the entire population and catering the needs of PDS item viz rice, wheat, fortified wheat flour sugar & kerosene oil through the chain of 509 number of Fair Price Shops (FPS) scattered in all far flung Islands in a time bound manner. The department ensure three months buffer stock of foodgrains in all the 12 Principal Distribution Centers (PDC) across this UT considering the vulnerability of this UT to natural
It has come to the notice of this Department that certain Common Service Centers (CSC) demanding money for issuance of various forms for obtaining ration cards whereas these forms are provided to all CSCs free of cost and it is mandated that all the services rendered through CSCs should be free of cost for which the Administration use to reimburse certain fixed amount in lieu of services.
It is further for the information that the general public can obtain all types of forms required for applying ration cards from the Civil Supplies Department and other Supply Units at free of cost besides all CSCs. All CSCs have been advised to render the services free of cost. Any such instance of demanding money from any of the citizen for providing services shall be viewed seriously and the law will take its own course.
This Department shall mobilize the enforcement team for conducting surprise inspection/raids in the entire UT to enforce various Acts/Rules contained under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 to discourage any kind of unfair trade practices to safeguard the interest of the consumers. This Department is also a Nodal Agency for ensuring smooth functioning of District Forum & the State Commission functioning in this UT and any aggrieved consumer can lodge their complaint in the appropriate forum for Justice which shall be disposed-off within 90 days from the date of filling of the
The general public & PDS beneficiaries have been requested that any complaints, such as non receipt of PDS items, any unfair trade practice, demanding money for the services by the CSCs etc may be reported in writing to the Directorate of Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Port Blair. They can also lodge their complaint over Toll free Phone No. 18003453197.
