File No.6(1 )/2021 -PD.l
F. No. 6(1)/2021- PD.I (E-376295).
Government of India. Ministry of Consumer Affairs,
Food & Public Distribution Department of Food & Public Distribution
Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi Dated 05/01/2022
To Principal Secretary/ Secretary,
Department of Food & Civil Supplies,
All State/UT Governments
Subject: Enabling FPS dealers to provide banking and Citizen Centric services- reg
Madam/Sir, please refer to this Department's Letter of even number dated 29.10.2021 (copy enclosed) forwarding therewith Minutes of the VC meeting convened under the chairmanship of Secretary (F&PD) on 25th October 2021 with all States/UTs Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Department of Financial services (DFS), Oil Marketing companies (oMCs) and csc e-Governance services India Limited (CSC) leveraging e-PoS devices to deliver other services for improving financial viability of Fair Price Shops (FPSs).
2. DFS vide letter dated 23.12.2021 (copy enclosed) informed that banks are permitted to formulate a policy and engage individual owner/entities including Fair Price Shops as BCs. They also stated under Pradhan Mantri Mundra Yojana (PMMY), the loan may be availed by FPS Dealers through the branches of any Bank/NBFCs/MFIs.
3. Besides, Department of Posts has also shared a proposal vide letter dated 30.12.2021 (copy enclosed) by which Indian Post Payments Bank (IPPB)'s products services can also be rendered through country wide network of Fair Price Shops.
FPSs can provide banking and citizen centric service including G2C services with the objective to increase the accessibility of such services to the citizens, to facilitate digital transactions (cashless) in a simple and secured manner.
4. All the states/UT Govts. are therefore, requested to consider these Proposals and take the initiatives forward to increase the financial viability of the FPS Owners.
