Ludhiana: 757 ration depots to be allotted; dealers seek hike in commission
According to a letter issued by the local department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, fresh applications are being invited until April 24
The food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department has initiated the process to allot 757 new ration depots across Ludhiana. According to a letter issued by the local department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, fresh applications are being invited until April 24, in accordance with new directives for filling 757 vacant ration depot positions across both rural and urban areas of Ludhiana. At the same time, All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation has said the margin should be increased for depot holders.
According to a letter issued by the local department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, fresh applications are being invited until April 24, in accordance with new directives for filling 757 vacant ration depot positions across both rural and urban areas of Ludhiana. According to officials, the department aims to streamline the selection and allotment of new fair price shops (ration depots), responding to growing demand and public interest.
This move follows the issuance of an official notification by the food supplies and consumer affairs department of Punjab, dated April 7. The notification instructed districts across Punjab to issue a single consolidated public notice for all available vacancies. This includes those advertised in 2023 and 2024, as well as any new vacancies that have emerged since.
Under the new directives, applicants who have already submitted their applications in response to public notices published in 2023 and 2024 need not reapply. Their previously submitted applications will be considered. However, applicants who wish to submit updated or additional documents may do so within the prescribed time frame.
It also clarifies that in areas where allotment of ration depots has been stayed by the Punjab and Haryana high court or any district court, the allotment will be subject to the final decision of the respective court.
The local department has issued a list of vacancies, categorising them into various sections. A total of 263 depots will be allocated in the rural areas of Ludhiana East, while 103 depots will be allocated in the urban regions of Ludhiana East. Additionally, 278 depots will be allocated in the rural areas of Ludhiana West, and 113 depots in the urban areas of Ludhiana West.
The vacancies are further broken down by category. The largest number of depots, 416 in total, will be allocated to the general category, followed by 101 for scheduled castes, 75 for riot victims, 53 for retired soldiers, 38 each for freedom fighters and backward classes, 21 for handicapped citizens and 15 for women.
Karamjit Singh Arechha, national assistant secretary and state president of the All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation, said, “These new allotments will help expand the efficiency of the public distribution system. The government must ensure that the number of beneficiaries under the current ration depot holders does not decrease, as this will affect the earning of existing depot holders.”
Arechha also said that the government should increase the margin from ₹90 per quintal to ₹200 per quintal on the lines of the Delhi government.
District food supply controller (Ludhiana West), Sartaj Singh Cheema, said, “The deadline for submitting applications is April 24 by 5 pm. After that, the received applications will be thoroughly reviewed by the concerned officials. We will ensure strict adherence to the guidelines in the allocation of these new ration depots.”
