Hans News Service Chandigarh

TheHaryana government has decided to allot licences for 2,651 vacant fair price shops (FPS) across the state to improve access to subsidised foodgrains for eligible families and strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS), officials said on Wednesday.

The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has extended the deadline for submitting online applications for the shops to November 25, 2026. The earlier deadline was November 10. An official spokesperson said that the initiative would particularly benefit residents of remote and underserved areas, where existing ration depots are located at considerable distances. The allocation of new fair price shops would make essential food supplies more accessible while creating self-employment opportunities for eligible applicants, the spokesperson said. He said 33 per cent reservation had been provided for women in the allotment process to promote their economic participation and entrepreneurship at the grassroots level. Eligible applicants can submit their applications online through the Haryana Antyodaya SARAL Portal till November 25, thespokesperson said.