Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar,: To improve the public distribution system (PDS), the state government has decided to do away with the storage-agent system from October 1 onwards and would replace it with a new arrangement.

Following recommendations of the Justice D.P. Wadhwa committee, the state government decided to abolish the storage-agent system for simplifying and restructuring the PDS. CM Naveen Patnaik through video conferencing on Monday directed the district collectors to provide infrastructure for this.

Under this new arrangement, as many as 220 rice procurement centres located all over the state would be converted into 208 departmental storage centres from where rice, wheat and sugar will be directly supplied to the fair price shops. And for this 24 permanent and contractual personnel will be appointed.

As per the Government sources, private agents will no longer distribute the essential commodities. As the Government would take charge, it would promote transparency and people would get essential items on time. And the dealers have to deposit money for the goods as per their quota. 

This apart, the district administration would make arrangement for the transport of commodities from storage centres to the fair price shops.

Besides, a procurement inspector will be in charge of each departmental storage centre. And the amount details about PDS items delivered at specific fair price shops would be updated and sent to the members of local vigilance committee through SMS service.

The Food and Civil Supplies department is mulling to experiment this new arrangement in 35 stocking centres in the month of September.  

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