Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Wednesday said 5,000 fair price shops in the state will be operational as Annapurna Bhandars from October 31.

Raje was addressing a public meeting after foundation laying and inauguration ceremony of 19 development works worth Rs.3,500 crore in Didwana in Nagaur districts.

"5,000 fair price shops in the state will start working as 'Annapurna Bhandars' from October 31 and in the next three years 25,000 fair price shops will be converted into Annapurna Bhandars where consumers will get items of domestic use at competitive prices," the chief minister said.

"Annapurna Bhandar Yojna" is a public private partnership (PPP) scheme, claimed to be the first of its kind in the country. The scheme aims to modernise public distribution system (PDS) by providing quality multi-brand consumer goods at competitive prices to the general public through these shops.

In August, Rajasthan government had entered into an agreement with Future Consumer Enterprise Ltd (FCEL), a Future Group company, for providing multi-brand consumer goods at competitive prices to the people through fair price shops.

These shops would sell items like edible oil, ghee, pulses, jaggery, spices, different types of flour pickles, sauces, personal care products among others.

(IANS)