Harsh penalty norm on the cards, ration shop employees irked

RATION shop employees across the state have expressed concern over the imposition of a penalty up to three times for any decrease in the quantity of stock in ration shops.

- M SARAVANAN

They claimed the government's new norm would affect supervisors of ration shops even if they are not involved in malpractice.

G Rajendran, state president of the Tamil Nadu Ration Shop Workers' Welfare Association, said, "Earlier, ration shop employees faced a penalty if any variation in stock quantity was detected during inspection. Officials levied a fine of ₹25 for every kilogram of rice or sugar found to be lost. The new norm by the civil supplies department will be to impose a fine of up to ₹75 per kg."

"We are ready to follow the penalty for quantity loss during inspections. However, the actual weight of supplies when they reach the ration shop is always 2-3kg less than what is meant to be sent from the civil supplies godown," he added.