“The margin amount for shopkeepers of fair price shops that distribute ration (food grains) to eligible beneficiaries of the National Food Security Scheme will be increased,” said Chhagan Bhujbal, Minister of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection on Tuesday.
Earlier the margin rate was Rs 150 per quintal which has now been increased to Rs 170 per quintal, that is Rs 1700 per metric ton. The cabinet has approved the rise of margin rate by Rs 20 per quintal for the fair price shopkeepers for distributing food grains to ration card holders in the state through e-POS machines.
'Government positive on demand'
“For the past several days, there has been a demand from fair price shopkeepers to increase the margin rate. Several meetings were held in this regard. And considering their demand the government was positive about the margin rate hike of fair price shopkeepers, which is why today the cabinet has decided to increase the margin of fair price shopkeepers,” Bhujbal said.
While the rise in margin rate will put an additional financial burden of approximately Rs 92.71 crore per year on the state treasury. It will benefit the fair price shopkeepers that distribute ration to the beneficiaries of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Families under the state's public distribution system.
