More than two decades after it was formed, a public distribution system (PDS) outlet run by women self help group (SHG) in Shenbakkam within Vellore City Corporation limits got its own building on Saturday. Accompanied by Mayor Sujatha Anandakumar, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, who is also the MLA for Katpadi Assembly constituency, inaugurated the new building for the outlet built at a cost of ₹8.80 lakh from the local area development fund of Katpadi constituency for 2019-20.
The new building for the shop is located on Kalathumettu Street in Shenbakkam (Zone-4) of Vellore Corporation, which constructed the building, following persistent requests from the residents. “It was a long standing demand of the residents that has been met finally. Likewise, a new check dam across Palar river in T.K. Puram near Katpadi will be built to prevent inundation of Shenbakkam that happens every monsoon. Work will start soon,” Mr. Duraimurugan said. At present, Vellore district has only seven PDS outlets run by women for at least a decade. On the occasion, Collector P. Kumaravel Pandian, Corporation Commissioner P. Ashok Kumar and A. Kamaraj, District Supplier Officer (DSO), Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), took part. Saturday also witnessed similar long standing demand for a PDS shop that was finally inaugurated in Veeramuthu, a tiny hamlet in Sholinghur taluk near Ranipet, by the Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R. Gandhi in the presence of Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian.
A decade-and-a-half since the shop was formed in Karikkal village panchayat which includes Veeramuthu hamlet in Sholinghur taluk, residents had to walk 1.5 km to reach the outlet to buy essentials. They had to wade through a small stream and cross a national highway to reach the fair price shop. During monsoon, men in the hamlet go to the shop to buy rations. Of the total 819 consumers in Karikkal village, 154 cardholders belong to Veeramuthu hamlet.
On Saturday, a part time PDS outlet was opened in the hamlet.
