Delhi, May 16 (IANS): In view of ongoing lockdown in some states and Union Territories (UTs) that may curtail the functioning hours of Fair Price Shop (FPSs), the Centre has requested the states and the Union Territories (UTs) to keep these public facilities open preferably on all days of the month.

It is also asked that all Fair Price Shops (FPSs) will distribute Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) III and National Food Security Act (NFSA) food grains to beneficiaries in a staggered manner throughout the day with following Covid-19 norms like proper social distancing.

To facilitate this, states and UTs have been requested to ensure that FPSs are exempted from the restricted hours of opening of regular market.

Department of Food and Public Distribution under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Distribution issued an advisory on the issue on Saturday.

"The measure will ensure that food grains under PMGKAY III and NFSA will be made available by states and UTs to all NFSA beneficiaries in a safe and time bound manner, duly observing Covid-19 protocols, as per advisories issued by this department," the Ministry said.

All states and UTs have been requested to take necessary steps for timely distribution of food grains at their FPSs without causing hardships to the beneficiaries, and to give wide publicity to the measures undertaken in this regard.

Distribution started implementation of PMGKAY III for two months period in May and June this year in same pattern as earlier by providing an additional quota of free-of-cost food grains (rice or wheat) at a scale of 5 Kg per person per month, over and above their regular monthly NFSA entitlements to about 80 Crore beneficiaries covered under both categories of NFSA, namely Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Householders (PHH).