New Delhi, August 10 (Agency) The central government on Wednesday clarified that no instructions have been issued making it mandatory to buy the national flag for availing free ration from fair price shops. ”No such instruction has been given by the Government of India. About 80 crore people are receiving ration seamlessly every month. An errant ration shop has been suspended for violating orders of the Government and misrepresenting facts,” a statement from the government said.
Meanwhile, the Centre has written to all the state governments to ensure that no genuine NFSA (National Food Security Act) beneficiary suffers on account of the fair price shop dealers or officials. ”It has come to the notice of this department through media reports that some FPS (Free Price Shop) dealers are forcing beneficiaries to buy the national flag and in case of their ability, the dealers are denying or reducing the entitled food grains. This is highly irregular, as bonafide NFSA/PMGKAY beneficiaries should be provided the full quantity of their entitled food grains as per rules, without any precondition…States/UTs should ensure that these instructions are followed by all concerned,” the central government has told the state governments. The clarification has been issued in the wake of claims being made on social media that poor are being forced to buy the flag forcibly to buy ration on the instructions of the Government of India.