More than 13,000 PDS shops booked since 2011 in TN, fined only Rs 91.52 lakh

Fair price shop owners in Tamil Nadu have been taking their customers for a ride-giving them underweighed commodities, according to records by the legal metrology department. At least 13,464 ration shop owners have been booked since 2011 for using manipulated weight measures to meddle with the quantity of rice and pulses sold, but the collective fine against them has been just Rs 91.52 lakh rupees. Many consumer activists say that the fine is disproportionate to the huge profits they made out by means of malpractices, reported Times of India. While several crores worth rice and pulses is distributed by the government to more than 30,000 fair price shops across the state, rampant complaints against those who run these outlets have been reported- accusing them of supplying lesser quantity of commodities to the beneficiaries. However, very few of the regular customers are actually aware of these malpractices and do not register complaints against the owners. Fair price shop owners should use weights and measures properly stamped and renewed periodically by the legal metrology department. The police are also empowered to inspect the weights and measures at the fair price shops, said the report