AHMEDABAD: There are 72 lakh National Food Safety Act (NFSA) card holders in Gujarat, who avail the benefit of cheap foodgrains from the state government. However, incidents like grain theft and malpractice often come to light from cheap grain shops, to prevent which an important decision has been taken by the state government. Now only licensed shopkeepers will be able to run the shop, so no one can rent it to others. The Gujarat government received a complaint that around 700 shops were running on rent in the state. For the same reason, biometric presence of the shopkeeper will also be taken now. Not only this, even if the shopkeeper has to take leave, he has to take the permission of the Mamlatdar. This decision will benefit the 72 lakh National Food Safety Act ration card holders of the state. The state government has been receiving complaints for a long time about the cheap grain shops. Many of these shops were always closed. Besides this, about 700 shops were leased out to others. The state government has taken this decision to prevent such malpractices. Now no shopkeeper holding a ration card shop license can rent out the shop to others. Along with this, the ration distributor also has to inform the District Supply Officer while going out. Apart from this, foodgrain distribution has to be continued compulsorily by handing over the charge to another distributor in his absence.