Ration shop employees weighed down by harsh penalty norms

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 @Coimbatore

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. 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.