Karimnagar: Ration dealers' commission pending for two months

Karimnagar: Even though ration rice has been distributed to the beneficiaries of Karimnagar, the dealers have not received the commission money for two months.

Due to this, the burden of maintenance, rent, porter and other expenses of ration shops falls on the dealers. It is only a small amount of commission and then the dealers are questioning what will be their situation if they are not paid on time.

In the past, one month's commission was received in the next month. But since the commission money for the months of December and January has not been received so far, they are complaining that they have to incur debts.

In the erstwhile district, there are 1,964 ration dealers in Karimnagar, Jagtial, Peddapalli and Rajanna Sircilla districts. Based on the cards, each dealer is distributing more than 30 to 100 quintals of rice. The government is paying them a commission of 70 paise per quintal.

It is learned that 10 kg of rice was distributed to each member of the cardholders when the quota was allocated by the Central and State governments together last December. To this extent, 43564.94 metric tons of rice was distributed throughout the district in three months as per the allotted quota. In this respect Rs 30.69 crore of commission to be paid to the dealers.

Only the Central government has allocated a quota for January rice and 15,403.01 metric tons of rice has been distributed across the combined district at the rate of 5 kg per person. In connection with this, commission of Rs10.79 crore is to be received by the dealers. A total of two months is Rs. 41.48 crores to be paid to the dealers.

Due to non-payment of commission for two months, the total cost of house rent, porter charges, internet recharge and electricity bill is more than Rs 5,000. If this is the case, the dealers are questioning how to manage the ration shops and support the family.

Officials say that until the month of November, the commission was received by the dealers from the District Civil Supplies department, and as arrangements were made to receive it from the Commissioner's office from December, there was some delay. But every month, how much quota has gone to the dealers, how many quintals of rice have been distributed and how much surplus is there, but the dealers say that there has been a severe delay in the update for three months, even though the details are recorded online through e-pass.

When The Hans India contacted, District Civil Supplies Officers said all the details of the past three months were sent to the Commissioner's office. The commission money should be sanctioned to the dealers. Immediately after the budget allocation, two months of commission will be received by the dealers at once, they said.