'Ration from Anywhere'in Telangana from tomorrow

Statewide ration portability comes into effect from tomorrow; individual quota too can be bought. Ration portability will come into force across the state from April 1. With this, beneficiaries can buy their ration from any of the shops located anywhere in the state.
The initiative was introduced in GHMC limits and in districts on a pilot basis. It is now extended to the entire state. The move is expected to benefit 2.75 crore PDS beneficiaries.According to civil supplies commissioner C.V.Anand, the portability scheme is already implemented district-wise which yielded a good response from beneficiaries and  it will now be implemented statewide from April 1.
He said the portability created competition between the ration dealers and helped beneficiaries in getting good services.Following the portability, the ration cardholder need not go to his allotted ration shop and can buy his ration from anywhere in the state.Previously, the beneficiaries were required to buy their commodities only in the ration shop allotted to them. The families migrating to other places or shifting from one place to another within the same city or towns were unable to get ration from the nearest ration shop, but had to get ration commodities from the allotted shop even if it is far away. 
In the new portability scheme, there is no limitation to get the commodities in a particular ration shop. The beneficiaries can get their essential commodities near to their house or any place irrespective of ration shop where their card is allotted.  Apart from this, family members included in the ration card can get ration individually from anywhere in the state. For example, out of five members of a family, one can get his quota of rice or kerosene or wheat from Mahabubnagar district, two members can get rice from Medak or kerosene from Adilabad.  An SMS message will be sent to the registered mobile number about the quota as soon as the ration is taken. Mr Anand said ration cards will not be terminated even if cardholders do not take their ration.
He said by downloading T-Ration App one can get the location of the ration shop nearer to them by one click. Every card holder should get the benefits of this App.The ration portability was implemented in 1,545 ration shops in GHMC limit on June 1, 2017. In ten months, about 29 lakh transactions were made by portability. 
The ration portability has developed healthy competition among the dealers, which resulted in a good behaviour by the dealer and reduced complaints from the cardholders. There are 85 lakh ration cards in the state and they get their ration from 17.000 ration shops.  They are all linked to Aadhaar-based biometric system which helps the cardholder to get his ration from anywhere in the state. For this, 10 to 15 per cent extra stock is supplied to every ration shop in advance.

Civil Supplies Dept prepares for Paddy purchase in Rabi season

Commissioner for Civil Supplies C.V. Anand said that all arrangements are been made for purchasing paddy from farmers in the coming Rabi season which starts from next month. He suggested officials to be very cautious in this matter as it is dealing with lakhs of farmers.

The Commissioner said all necessary actions to be taken to see that farmers should not face any difficulty in selling their paddy at Minimum Support Price.

Anand held a review meeting with Officials on Rabi Paddy Procurement at Civil Supplies Bhavan on Friday. A wall poster was released on this occasion to spread awareness among farmers on Minimum Support Price and Online transactions.

The Commissioner said that Civil Supplies Department initially decided to purchase 37 lakh metric ton paddy. In the months of April 12.74 LMT, May 18.20 LMT, June 5.46 LMT of paddy yield is expected. For this 3259 Paddy Purchase Centres (PPC’s) are been arranged, said Anand. IKP’s - 1081, PACS (Primary Agricultural Co-operative Societies) – 1987 and others - 191 will be maintained. He advised officials to arrange PPC’s in reachable distance to farmers. He directed officials to take necessary action in arranging additional purchase centres if required immediately.

Basic requirements like Humidity checking machines, Paddy cleaners, Winnowing Machines, Moisture Metres, Drinking Water, Toilets, etc., should be kept available at the centres.

Minimum Support Price should be compulsorily to be paid to farmers. MSP for Ordinary paddy is Rs. 1550, Grade ‘A’ paddy is Rs. 1590. Awareness in farmers should be made to get paddy to PPC’s according to the standards of Central government.

Joint Collectors should consult rice millers district wise and allotment of paddy be made according to the capacity of the mills.

Allotment should be made according to the capacity of the mill. Paddy allotment 32 MT mill be allotted 3000 MTs, 40 MT - 4000 MTs, 50 MT - 5000 MTs, 60 MT - 6000 MTs, more than 60 MT - 8000 MTs paddy will be allotted. In any condition not more than 8000 MTs paddy will be allotted to any mill. Commissioner ordered millers should submit Custom Milling Rice (CMR) before September 30. In any case if CMR is submitted after due date no milling charges will be paid. Millers who are black listed and booked under criminal case, 6A case from this year 1st January will not be allotted paddy.

The Commissioner ordered officials on paddy allotment to millers based on requisitions from District Rice Millers Association and guarantee from two millers who are financially strong. In any case if CMR is not submitted to government before due date it should be recovered from the two guarantee millers. If excess due is there then it should be collected from milling / transport charges paid to District Rice Millers Association.

Civil supplies departmen’s IT adoption now a case study at Indian School of Business

The adoption of Information Technology in the public distribution system (PDS) that enabled the Telangana State Civil Supplies Department (TSCDS) to plug leakages and improve operational efficiency, is now a case study for future entrepreneurial leaders at Indian School of Business (ISB). The case study looks at various Information Technology (IT) reformations undertaken by the department in 2017-18 that helped them get ranked first the country for technology adoption.

The ISB case study titled “Turnaround of Food and Civil Supplies Department in Telangana Government” chronicles the tenure of C.V.Anand, Commissioner of civil supplies since assuming office on August 15, 2017. The study pointed out the different departmental and financial issues the department faces and the steps that were taken which resulted in rice millers returning 100 per cent of the Custom Milled Rice in the Kharif season of 2016-17. The department achieved this by negotiating, withdrawing pending cases and offering support to the millers.  

Earlier the rice millers often did not return CMR to the civil supplies, the department estimates that 0.2 million metric tons of rice were pending from the millers, amounting to `4.85 billion. The study showcases how steps such as the adoption of e-PoS machines at 17,200 Fair Price Shops helped save `7.5-8 billion every year. The department claimed that `81 billion payment to 1.1 million farmers in 2017-18 kharif and rabi crop seasons were made using tablets at the PPC using the OPMS software. 

Hyderabad’s VNR-VJIET organises TEDx

The students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology (VNR VJIET) organised TEDxVNRVJIET at the college campus on Saturday.

C.V.Anand, Commissioner, Telangana Civil Supplies Department, who addressed the students, explained how adaptation of Information Technology in the civil supplies sector has changed the once loss-making department and achieved tremendous growth.

Changes to be made in Consumer Rights Act: CV Anand

Consumers should be made aware of their rights and duties and knowledge of Consumer rights to be secured said Commissioner for Civil Supplies C.V. Anand.

A special edition of ‘Viniyoga Tarangini’ was inaugurated on the eve of International Consumers Day at Civil Supplies Bhavan by Commissioner C.V. Anand. He said that 30 years back National Consumer Rights Act was formed and after that many changes came socially, financially and politically. Especially in Digital, Marketing fields, Online Shopping and transactions substantial changes appeared. According to the present scenario there is need to make changes in Consumer Act to protect consumer rights. As in Central, states should also have separate individual wings of consumer affairs.

In this modern era technology is spreading day by day on wide range and the cyber crimes are also increasing rapidly. Everyone should be very much aware to prevent such crimes and should be very cautious, said Commissioner Anand.

Hotel, restaurants and traders are cheating consumers in the name of GST. Legal Metrology department made 1400 special raids and several booked cases. Near about Rs. 50 Crores penalty was collected.

Special Acts are made to protect consumers, compensation is given if they incur loss or if they are cheated. In government level consumer affairs machinery is established to ensure justice to consumer. 

Women’s Day buzz

International Women’s Day celebrations were organised with enthusiasm at Civil supplies  with a message that women empowerment would accelerate nation’s development.

Speaking at the celebrations organised in the Civil Supplies Bhavan, Civil Supplies Commissioner C.V. Anand said the strength and capabilities of women should be acknowledged and respected. More than 50 crore women were working in all fields and they should not be silent about their rights.

Telangana Civil Supplies Department gets another pat

Food and Civil Supplies Secretary Government of India Ravikanth was all praise for Telangana for achieving excellent progress by using modern technology to curb irregularities in Civil Supplies Department(CSD)

Terming the move as inspirational, Ravikanth who visited the CSD Office on Saturday here said CSD has become ideal to the country by giving importance to transparency, accountability, and by introducing innovative reforms in the department. He said, Online Procurement Management System (OPMS), Command Control Centre, CC Cameras in Godowns, T-Ration App will stand as guidelines to all other states.

Accompanied by FCI South Regional Executive Director, FCI Telangana Manger, Ravikanth came on a two day official visit to Telangana. They visited Command Control Centre in Telangana Civil Supplies Bhavan, reviewed live telecast of vehicle movements carrying ration commodities, functioning of CC Cameras installed in statewide Civil Supplies godowns. Commissioner for Civil Supplies C.V. Anand gave them a  presentation on the reforms taken up in Telangana Civil Supplies.

The Team members made a field visit at Musheerabad MLS Point, viewed CC Cameras performance, inspected rice quality stored in godowns. They also visited a FP shop situated in Punjagutta checked e-Pos working and had a small discussion with the beneficiaries present at the shop.

Ravikanth while appreciating the efforts said the Telangana government is giving top priority in using technology in every aspect. He praised Telangana Civil Supplies reforms, mainly paddy procurement system is very good in Telangana state, without any avoiding middlemen involvement, procuring directly from the farmers at MSP and paying to their respected bank account through online.

Lesser the burden on the State : C.V. Anand

Mr.Anand requested to lesser the burden on the states and take necessary measures in releasing the pending dues of Rs.4047 crore from Center.

He said that Center to  continue the previous policy in Gunny bags purchasing, as per the new policy introduction in 2017-18 Kharif season, state will face estimate loss of Rs. 59 crores.

Transport charges are allowed for transportation of paddy from PPC’s to Rice mills is very less as per the market price.  Rates fixed by the District Collectors or FCI rates whichever is less is paid for the transportation and in 2016-17 Kharif season we lost about Rs. 137 crores under this Head.

Local Mandi Labour charges are insufficient compared to Central and State government. Local Mandi Charges are around Rs. 30 per quintal, whereas Centre pays Rs. 5.50. This is eroding the MSP paid to the farmers. Request for enhancement of Mandi Labour Charges as per the prevailing open market rates to protect the farmers interest. For 2010-11 to 2016-17 Kharif season total amount of Rs. 363.37 crores are withheld by FCI towards Market fee, RD Cess, C&M charges, Commission, etc. It is requested to advice FCI to release the pending amounts.

Previous year in Rabi season massive grain yield was recorded, but problems were faced as FCI could not provide sufficient space to store them. Taking consideration these we request FCI to provide sufficient storage for 2017-18 Rabi season for the estimated 15 Lakh Metric tons of CMR.