CM releases info manual for PDS

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today released a manual for the Public Distribution System (PDS) which has been brought out by the department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs.
The manual provides detailed information on the various processes followed by the department, contact details of all its officials as well as of the Himachal Civil Supplies Corporation.
The manual would enable the public's grievances regarding the PDS to be addressed in the shortest possible time as all the information on fair price shops in the state, along with coding and Fair Price Shop Identity number (FPS-ID) has been included in it.

Besides, contact details of PDS stakeholders has also been given, which will reduce the redressal time of the grievances.
GS Bali, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, said that the manual was a significant step towards achieving the larger goal of transparency for reducing malpractices within the PDS.
He said that the department has verified about 5,000 phone numbers of various functionaries in the process and the manual contains all the verified numbers. That includes phone numbers of more than 4,500 Fair Price Shops operating in HP.
The department is also maintaining a Toll-Free Call Centre with the number, 1800 180 8026.