30 fair price shop owners from state included in the pilot project
With an aim to convert Fair Price shops into Jan Poshan Kendra or nutrition hub, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepre neurship, Department of Food and Public Distribution and Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs are holding a Capacity Building Training Programme for all fair price Shops (FPS) at the Gujarat National Law University. Officials in the government said that as the fair price shop owners are in direct contact with the beneficiaries, the training ambitiously aims at facilitating the resolution of administrative and distribution issues, as well as empowering the shopkeepers.
“At the same time, it is a humble attempt to increase the financial viability of FPS. In addition, the objective of the programme is to develop humanitarian noble and social welfare activities so that the poor and marginalised people get healthy and wholesome rations/life essentials. This will also spread awareness about nutritious food among people,” an official said.
In the first 100 days of the prime minister’s term, the goal of Jan Poshan
Kendras was set. As part of the initiative, a total of 60 fair price shops in four states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana will be converted into Jan Poshan Kendras initially. From Gujarat, 30 shop owners are part of this pilot project -14 from Ahmedabad city and 16 from Ahmedabad district. This kind of Jan Poshan Kendras will be started in other cities of the state as well in a phased manner, the official said.
In the three day workshop start- ed from Monday, Director of Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, Sunil Sachdeva; Government of Gujarat, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. Director, Gandhinagar, Tusharabhai Dholakia, Registrar of GNLU, Jagdish Chandra, NISBUD. St Consultant Dr Yamini Jaiswal and President of Gujarat Fair Price Shop Association (GFPSA) Prahlad Modi remained present.