Kerala store that gives hope

Kerala Store, aka K-store project that aims to provide more services and products by modernizing the ration shops related to our daily life, should be seen as the beginning of a big change. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the project, which will change the face of the current ration shops, in Thrissur last day. The scheme, launched under the auspices of the Department of Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, is part of the 100-day action plans of the Pinarayi government, which is celebrating its second anniversary.

In the first phase, 108 ration shops will be converted into K-stores, but this year itself it will reach 1000. At present, around 850 ration traders have come forward ready to implement the scheme. The scheme gives priority to ration shops in areas where banking and online services are difficult to access. There is no doubt that K-stores will strengthen the public distribution sector by bringing all the essential services under one roof.

The K-stores will have unique facilities such as mini-banking system for transactions up to Rs.10,000, utility payment system for paying electricity bill, water bill, etc., sale of Sabari products and Milma products, and sale of five kg cooking gas cylinders. The special feature of the scheme is that the people will get more services and products and the ration traders will get additional income. In the future, the products of the small units of various public sector organizations including Kudumbashree are planned to be made available through K-Store. It is only when the government intervenes strongly in the public market that inflation can be contained. Needless to say, if the K-Store scheme is implemented as expected, it will be a huge relief to the common man.

Minister GR Anil took charge of this department two years ago with long experience in public sector. Complaints are also natural as it is a department that requires constant contact with the public. However, it cannot be forgotten that Anil as a minister has been able to solve all of them and transform the Department of Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs so that the service can be provided more smoothly. A solution was found to the recent allegations regarding the e-POS machine through the direct intervention of the minister.

K-stores can revolutionize our ration shops. The success of any project is due to the sincere efforts of the officials in the department, but mismanagement by a few employees can derail the projects. That should not happen to K-stores. People are looking at this laudable reform with great hope. The project should have direct monitoring by the Minister to avoid any fallout at the bureaucratic level.