The timings of fair price shops have been changed according to the new order to provide the beneficiaries with more hours to visit ration shops and finalize their formalities. Fair price shops will be open in two shifts per day.
Under the new arrangement, ration shops will operate from 7 AM to 12 noon during the morning session. The ration shops will reopen in the evening and be open from 4 PM to 8 PM.
The change in operating hours will allow ration card holders who can’t visit shops during one day to have more flexibility in their lives. Beneficiaries will now be able to select the morning or evening session according to their convenience.
A revised schedule will be especially important for people who depend on fair price shops to purchase foodgrains and other commodities through the public distribution system. The split shift also facilitates ration-related procedures to be done without having to attend the shop during peak daytime hours.
e-KYC Deadline Extended
In addition to the change in shop timings, the deadline for e-KYC has also been extended. Beneficiaries who have not yet completed the e-KYC process will now have time until October 20.
The extension is expected to provide some time for ration card holders who have not completed their e-KYC formalities. Beneficiaries will be able to go to the fair price shop and complete the process, subject to the applicable procedures and verification requirements.
e-KYC is useful for the identity and details of ration card holders. The exercise is designed to keep beneficiary accounts current and enable the public distribution system to give benefits to the most eligible recipients.
Beneficiaries are advised to use the extended time.
With the deadline now extended to October 20, beneficiaries who have not yet completed their e-KYC can use the additional time rather than waiting until the last days. The revised fair price shop timings also give a longer daily window for people to visit the shops.
The morning operating time from 7 AM to noon may be convenient for beneficiaries who want to complete their ration-related work early in the day. Those who are unable to visit during the morning can use the evening session from 4 PM to 8 PM.
The timing change and deadline extension are very important for ration card holders, particularly those who may have had trouble completing e-KYC within the earlier deadline.
Beneficiaries are advised to prepare their documents and ration card details before going to the fair price shop. They are also to confirm any specific requirements or procedures with the concerned authorities or ration shop before going to work.
The new order contains two major changes: revised fair price shop operating hours and an extension of the e-KYC deadline to October 20. This will enable beneficiaries to have greater flexibility in the verification process of beneficiaries.
Officials and fair price shop operators would need to be ready to follow the revised schedule, and beneficiaries are still able to go through the extended e-KYC window during which they can complete their pending formalities.
For those who have already completed e-KYC, no action may be taken at this time unless directed by the department concerned. Beneficiaries with pending verification should make use of the additional time before the October 20 deadline.
