183 new fair price shops inaugurated in Salem district in three years, says Minister

Tourism Minister R. Rajendran said that in Salem district 183 fair price shops were newly inaugurated in the past three years.

On Monday, the Minister inaugurated a new fair price shop constructed at ₹15 lakh at Pandarinathan Street in Ammapet. Later, he participated in the ground breaking ceremony for constructing sewage water channels at ₹1.88 crore in wards 33, 34, 37, and 38 in Ammapet zonal in Salem Corporation. The Minister inaugurated a new anganwadi building at Vellalapatti and also road-laying works and Minnagam office at Kamalapuram.

At the functions, Mr. Rajendran said that for all schemes to reach all sections of people, the Chief Minister is implementing various projects and providing basic infrastructure facilities by allocating funds. In Salem district, there are 1,757 fair price shops (1,299 full-time and 458 part-time) are functioning. Through these shops, 11.12 lakh ration cardholders are benefiting.

The Cooperative Department runs 1,745 shops and 12 shops are maintained by women self-help group members. Based on the request from the public, in the past three years 183 fair-price shops were newly opened. At present, through the 99 mobile fair price shops, 13,742 ration cardholders are benefitting in the district. Through the opening of the fair price shop at Pandarinathan Street, 1,127 ration cardholders residing in and around the locality will benefit, the Minister added.

Stating the benefits of Minnagam, the Minister said that through Minnagam, consumers shall clarify the doubts on power bills, new power connections, damaged electric cables and boxes and power cuts.

In the function, Salem Corporation Commissioner M. Elangovan, District Revenue Officer R. Ravikumar, local body representatives, and officials participated.