Shimla: To stabilize prices in the retail market, the government intends to invite Walmart, Metro and other retail multinationals into the hill state, consumer and civil supply minister GS Bali state here today.
Talking to reporters the ministers said that introduction of multi brand retail, \who source their material in bulk supplies, would help
to contain food inflation by giving a direct competition to the regular outlets.
Speaking about the subsidized ration scheme, Bali said that the government would continue to provide subsidized rations to all people, including the above poverty line (APL) category.
The scheme, which was started by a congress government in 2006, but the previous BJP government before demitting office in December 2012 has left behind an unpaid bill of Rs 122 Cr under the subsidized ration scheme, he said. We are still clearing the dues, he added.
Under the scheme the government would restore supply of three pulses, mustard oil or refined oil to all ration cardholders. And to ensure transparency in distribution, all ration cards are to be linked to AADHAR.
He said 14.80 lakh ration card, one for each household in the state, had been printed and dispatched to the districts for enabling the people to renew them and claim the quota of subsidized food items.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
