news details |
|
|
| Under MMSFES, Food supplies department curtails 50% ration supply | | | SAAHIL SUHAIL
EARLY TIMES REPORT
ANANTNAG, Dec 28: In an unprecedented development, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has started curtailing ration supply under Mufti Mohmmad Sayed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES).
A group of consumers told Early Times that Ration storekeepers across the Kashmir have stopped providing promised quantity of ration to them on the pretext that they weren’t receiving the required quantity.
“From past three months the storekeepers are distributing only 7 kgs of rice per person instead of 10Kgs of rice under NFSA and MMSFES Scheme,” Anantnag residents told ET.
They alleged that the officers of the department weren’t giving satisfactory answers to the consumers.
“We attempted to contact the officers of the Food Department on multiple occasions but they seemed to be clueless about it,” they said.
The officers of Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, on being contacted, told Early Times that the supply under the Mufti Mohmmad Sayed Food Entitlement Scheme has been curtailed by by 50%.
“We are receiving only 8000 quintals while as they Anantnag district requires 16000 qunatls of rice for distribution under MMSFES Scheme,” Assistant Director FCSC Anantnag told Early Times.
However, Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Bashir Ahmad Khan appeared clueless about the situation and said that he has assumed the charge of the department only before twenty days.
“I don’t know anything about the past months but in future will try to get the required quantity from Food Corporation of India,” he said, adding lapsed quantity can’t be got back.
The MMSFES was launched by the PDP-BJP government last after the demise of Former Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed to supplement the National Food Security Act in the state after facing protests over the implementation of National Food Security Act.
Under the scheme, consumers are getting additional 5 kgs of ration per person in addition to 5 kgs of ration they are entitled to get under NFSA at the subsidized rate Rs 10 per kg for Rice.
Early Times has accessed an official communication between then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Union Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in which the later has straight away turn down the request of Chief Minister.
“As already been informed to you vide my DO letter No. 2 dated 28-11-2016, Union Government is already taking an annual food subsidy load of Rs 1910.56 Cr for the supply of 751081.08 tons of food grains to Jammu and Kashmir annually. It would be thus difficult for the Union Government to bear any more subsidy burden. In view of the above, it is retreated that request of the state government is difficult to agree to,” reads the letter of Union Minister.
The Union Minister has revealed that Jammu and Kashmir Government has implemented the National Food Security Act 2013, in the state with effect from February 2016 and is getting a monthly allocation of 39798.05 tons of food grains (8251.075) tons for AAY and 31546.975 tons for priority households at highly subsidized price of Rs 3 and Rs 2 per Kg for rice and wheat respectably. In addition, state is also getting a monthly tide over allocation of 22792.04 tons of food grains at subsequently subsided rates of Rs 8.30 and Rs 6.10 per Kg of rice and wheat. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
