Kakinada: Red gram stocks dry up in ration shop

Kakinada: Red gram stocks ran out in ration shops in East Godavari in the district and many cardholders could not get it since the stock provided by the state government during the lockdown period have been exhausted.

Besides, the civil supplies department stopped the supply of red gram to ration shops due to shortage of the stock. The government has decided to supply red gram to all the white card holders during lockdown period. Although it was distributed for some cardholders in the last one week, many others are awaiting fresh stocks.

The ration shop dealers claimed that they have distributed the quantity, supplied by the government to the card holders and they will supply to the remaining cardholders, if the government releases remaining quota. Elaborating, Civil Supplies Corporation district manager E Jayaram told 'The Hans India' here on Monday that the government had supplied only 1,300 quintals of red gram to the ration shops in East Godavari district as against the required 1,600 quintals.

Jayaram also said that remaining quota of red gram will be released by the government in next two or three days. Similarly, district supply officer Prasad Rao admitted that there was a shortage of red gram in the district, but assured that the issue would be sorted out shortly. However, the beneficiaries blamed the ration shop dealers as well as officials for this situation.

"When the ration distribution started in the last week of March, the ration shop dealers and also the government officials promised that the beneficiaries need not make a beeline in front of the ration shops as the government would supply the ration till April 15. Now the same officials say that the stocks have ran out,'' rues a beneficiary of Mallayya Agraharam in Kakinada.