Paswan asks states to allot ration shops as per reservation policy

New Delhi: Union food minister Ram Vilas Paswan has asked all states to follow the reservation policy in allotment of ration shops and ensure priority is accorded to members of SC and ST categories.

"I have written letters to the chief ministers of all states for ensuring priority to members of SC/ST in allotment of fair price shops (FPS)," Paswan tweeted.

Stating that licence for FPS is being given by the state government, he told chief ministers that allotment of FPS should be done as per the reservation policy. "If allotment of fair price shops is done as per the reservation policy, new employment opportunities will be generated for SC/ST members," Paswan said in another tweet.

There are over five lakh fair price shops in the country. Under the food security law, the Centre provides highly subsidised wheat and rice to over 80 crore of people in the country through these ration shops, costing the exchequer about Rs 1.4 lakh crore annually.