Tamil Nadu's ration sugar to be sold in packets to avoid cheating

In Tamil Nadu, many reports have indicated that ration employers carry out fraudulent activities in weighing products The move to sell sugar, originally sold loose from sacks, in packets of a fixed size is a move to address this problem. The plan has been gestating for a while now, with the government hesitant over the cost of the packaging. 

Tamil Nadu's food department has decided to provide sugar in pre-weighed, standardised packets to cut down on incidents of fraud, black marketeering and cheating in ration shops.

An official of Food Corporation told the media,“It has been reported that some of the employees are selling ration products in the black market. And they carry out frauds while weighing the products.  Hence, in order to prevent that we have planned to sell sugar in packets.”

He further added, “This plan was on hold for a long time as the government wanted to gather funds for the packaging."

Tamil Nadu ration shops sell a kilo of sugar for Rs 13.50. A ‘rice card’ holder gets a maximum of two kilos, while a 'sugar card' holder is given three kilos of sugar. Since sugar is sold cheaply, people are opting for 'sugar cards' instead of 'rice cards.