Yogi says foreign goods spending partly fuels terrorism

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that a part of the money Indians spend on foreign goods is eventually used to fuel terrorism and destabilise India. He was speaking in Lucknow at the launch of an e-PoS-based feedback system for fair price shop dealers under the single-stage door-step delivery system.

Adityanath urged ration dealers to promote indigenous and locally made products through the state's Annapurna Bhavans, especially One District One Product items during festivals. He announced an increase in the margin for over 78,000 fair price shop dealers from Rs 90 to Rs 125 per quintal, including Rs 10 from the Centre and Rs 25 from the state. The state has also sought another Rs 25 increase from the Centre.

The chief minister credited e-PoS machines and single-stage delivery with improving transparency and eliminating intermediaries. He said that before 2017, ration cards of the poor were often held by those in power, and that now 15 crore people in Uttar Pradesh receive free ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. The government plans to develop 10,000 ration shops as Annapurna Bhavans.