Minister EV Velu inaugurates new Fair Price shop buildings in Tiruvannamalai

Minister for Public Works, Highways, and Minor Ports, EV Velu, inaugurated new Fair Price Shop buildings and Panchayat Council Office buildings in Tiruvannamalai on August 31. The event was attended by District Collector D Bhaskara Pandian, State Athletics Association Vice President Dr. EV Kamban, and Tiruvannamalai Municipal Corporation Mayor Nirmala Karthikevelmaran.
The new Fair Price Shops were established under the Tiruvannamalai District Consumer Cooperative Wholesale Store, which oversees 89 Cooperative Fair Price Shops, including 82 full-time and 7 part-time shops. The Karpagam Fair Price Shop No. 42, previously operating from a rented building, now has its own facility, constructed at a cost of ₹12.50 lakh from the Assembly Member Constituency Development Fund for 2023-2024. Minister Velu inaugurated the new building and distributed goods and family cards to local residents.
Another significant addition was the Karpagam Cooperative Specialty Store Fair Price Shop No. 43, built at a cost of ₹16.50 lakh on Market Medu Perumbakkam Road. Minister Velu also opened a new part-time Fair Price Shop in Pauputtu Kalani, Tiruvannamalai Union, benefiting 374 family cardholders in the area.
During the event, Minister Velu highlighted the government's commitment to improving public services, noting that Tiruvannamalai District now has 1,679 Cooperative Fair Price Shops under the Public Distribution Scheme. He also praised the Dravidian model government for its efficiency in meeting public needs, citing the introduction of electronic weighing systems and the decentralisation of family card issuance during his tenure as Food Minister.
The inauguration ceremony also saw the opening of Panchayat buildings in Baupattu and Nadupattu, further enhancing local infrastructure. The event was attended by several key officials and local representatives, including District Revenue Officer R Ram Pradeepan, Joint Director of Cooperative Societies S Parthipan, and Tiruvannamalai Corporation Commissioner Kanthirajan.