Agartala, 10th June 2026: Allegations of under-weighing rice at a government fair price shop in Kalitila under Teliamura have sparked concern among local residents, raising questions over the transparency and accountability of the public distribution system.
The allegations were brought forward by local resident Ranjit Saha, who claimed that his elderly mother visited the government fair price shop (License No. 290200400012) on Wednesday morning to collect her allotted ration rice. According to Saha, the shop owner, Sabita Dutta Laskar (Roy), allegedly took advantage of his mother’s simplicity and provided less rice than the prescribed quantity.
Saha said that after bringing the rice home, he weighed it and found a discrepancy between the quantity received and the amount allocated under the ration scheme. He immediately returned to the shop and raised the issue with the owner. However, he alleged that he did not receive a satisfactory or permanent resolution.
Following the complaint, media representatives visited the shop and spoke to Sabita Dutta Laskar (Roy). While she did not outright deny the allegation, she explained that the employee responsible for weighing ration items was absent on the day, suggesting that the discrepancy may have occurred unintentionally.
When contacted, an official of the Sub-Divisional Food Department stated that the complaint would be taken seriously. The department has assured that an investigation will be conducted and appropriate administrative action will be taken if the allegations are found to be true.
The incident has triggered resentment among local residents, who stressed that fair price shops play a crucial role in ensuring food security for the public. They have demanded an impartial inquiry into the matter and called for strict monitoring to prevent similar incidents in the future.
