Chhagan Bhujbal praised essential services providers for risking lives to help people.(FILE)
There will be anarchy if people do not get food during the lockdown for the coronavirus outbreak, Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal said on Tuesday and asked the public distribution system (PDS) staff and fair price shop owners to ensure eligible beneficiaries get food.
State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bhujbal also called for taking steps to ensure there is no black marketing and hoarding of food grains.
He praised officials from his department, fair price shopkeepers, doctors, police, farmers and other essential services providers for risking their lives to help the people during the lockdown.
"I want to tell those attached to the PDS and fair price shopkeepers that their work is most important today. There will be anarchy if people do not get food," Mr Bhujbal said in a video message.
"I have given rights to district collectors and civil supplies officers to ensure streamlined supply in the state. You (shopkeepers) should take care that eligible beneficiaries get food grains. We will have to take care there is no black marketing and hoarding of food grain," he added.
Mr Bhujbal said he has been holding dialogue with the state home minister (Anil Deshmukh) to ensure streamlined supply of food to the people.
He urged civil supplies, revenue and police officials to ensure proper coordination to ensure there is no food shortage.