People in remote areas heaved a sigh of relief with the district administration planning to soon set up 162 new fair price shops to distribute essentials to cardholders in hamlets and remote areas in Kalaburagi district.

The prime objective of establishing new shops is to ensure the supply of ration and avoid hardships being faced by people in remote and far-off places as they have to travel to nearby villages to procure essential supplies. With the existing 983fair price shops in Kalaburagi district, the district will get 162 new fair price shops, Deputy Director, Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Shantgouda G. Gunaki said.

Of the newly sanctioned 162 shops for the district, the highest number of 63 has been sanctioned for Chincholi taluk, followed by 29 for Chittapur taluk, 17 for Shahabad taluk, 15 for Kalagi taluk and 13 for Aland taluk. Kalaburagi taluk will get nine fair price shops, whereas eight will go to Yadrami taluk and four each will go to Afzalpur and Jewargi taluks.

Earlier, the government sanctioned one each fair price shop to cater to nearly 800 cardholders in urban areas and one outlet for every 500 cardholders in rural areas.