T. Krishnappa, president, Karnataka State Government Fair Price Shop Dealers Association, at a press conference in Mysuru on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram
The Karnataka State Government Fair Price Shop Dealers’ Association has urged the State government to ensure the timely payment of commission due to them through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) every month.
Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Thursday, association president T. Krishnappa said the payment of commission due to the fair price shop dealers for distribution of Anna Bhagya rice is delayed due to various technical reasons.
Even though the commission amount has been released by the Government, the payment for the last couple of months is yet to reach several fair price shop dealers, said Mr Krishnappa while adding that many fair price shop dealers had complained that the commission amount for Anna Bhagya food grains is pending for three to four months.
“It will help the fair price shop dealers if the commission amount is released directly to the accounts through DBT every month,” he said.
Mr. Krishnappa has urged the Centre to increase the commission amount to the fair price shop dealers for their share of 5 kg of rice distributed in the state through Public Distribution System (PDS).
He said the association has organised a convention of fair price dealers of the State at Town Hall in Bengaluru at 10 a.m. on January 6.
The problems and demands of the estimated 20,000 fair price shop dealers in Karnataka, who serve an estimated 6.5 crore people of the State, will be represented to the authorities at the convention to be attended by Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi and Karnataka’s Minister for Food and Civil Supplies K H Muniyappa, he said.
INDIRA KITS: With regard to the State Government’s plan to replace 5 kgs of rice out of the total 10 kgs under Anna Bhagya scheme with essential food items like oil, sugar, salt, tur dal and chickpeas under the ‘Indira Food Kit’, the Association said the Government should permit the fair price shop owners to purchase the commodities directly from the Karntaka State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation and distribute it to the beneficiaries as per the rate card fixed by the State Government.
If the fair price shops are allowed to procure the commodities directly from the Corporation, the fair price shops can make the payment after deducting their commission while the Government will be freed of the financial burden of procuring the commodities.
He said such a mechanism of fair price shops procuring the commodities directly from the Corporation existed during the erstwhile Siddaramaiah-led Government’s tenure.
The Association also urged the Government to continue distribution of 10 kgs of rice under Anna Bhagya scheme.
Mr Krishnappa urged the Government to resolve the server issues that frequently plagued the fair price shops across the state. He also urged the Government to provide computer, biometric equipment and printing machine free of cost to the fair price shops.
The Association has also urged the Centre to distribute its Bharat Rice, Bharat Dal, Bharat Wheat, Bharat Sugar and Bharat Cooking Oil through the fair price shops to the beneficiaries.
EoM
Published – January 01, 2026 07:18 pm IST
