Delhi Government’s unique initiative to address complains and issues against Ration Shops and Fair Price Shops by using Facebook as a medium has hit the right nail.
After a month of it’s launch, more than 4000 complaints have been registered, and action has been initiated against dozens of such shops, all over the capital.
Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department of Delhi Government became the first such government body to create a Facebook account and using the social media as a platform to address complaints against ration offices and Fair Price shops in Delhi. As per the official Facebook Page, consumers can report incidences such as shop closed even during official working hours, unclean and unhygienic conditions and demanding more price than govt approved rates.
Besides clicking images and sharing them on the Facebook platform, ration card holders can also post it on their official WhatsApp account: 8800950480.
The tagline of this platform is: ‘Aapka Rashan, Aapka Haq’ (Your Ration, Your Entitlement)
The idea and the initiative has received overwhelming response from the public, as the Facebook page shows lots of activity and posts from the consumers as more than 4000 complains have been registered within one month. As per the official statements, the page has reached 50,000+ ration card holders, and 3742 people like it as the time of writing.
And the best part is that, action has also been taken against those found guilty.
S.S. Yadav, secretary-cum-commissioner (Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs) said, “A show-cause notice was served to the fair price shop owners against whom complaints were registered. After issuing a notice, fine has been imposed against over a dozen shop owners,”
Some of the most common complains registered on this social media platform and WhatsApp helpline are:
- Untimely closure of ration shops
- Unhygienic conditions inside the ration shops
- Misbehavior by the concerned officials
- Charging more money than the prescribed price approved by Govt.
Besides complains and protests, the Facebook page also shares the latest updates and news related with Food and Supplies Distribution in the capital.
Usage of social media as complain redressal platform by the government is another step towards Digital India, and the encouraging response which this initiative has received cements the fact that Indian consumer today is aware and informed. We hope that the same precedent would be followed all over the country, so that Government policies and subsidies reach the right people.
Another feather in the cap for Facebook in India, and the Internet on the whole…
[…] Delhi Government’s unique initiative to address complains and issues against Ration Shops and Fair Price Shops by using Facebook as a medium has hit the right nail. […]