Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 22: As the State Government is all set to implement Food Security Bill in the Jammu and Kashmir, the Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), has decided to open nearly 7696 fair-price Government ration outlets/ shops in the State.
Highly placed source told the Excelsior that for the implementation Food Security Bill in the State, an extensive exercise has already been started by the Government. Under the Act, the poor people under three categories will be provided ration including wheat and rice at very cheap rates through these Government owned fair- price shops. For storage of huge ration supplied by Union Government, sites for additional stores have been identified and the process of construction at many places commenced.
Out of these 7696 fair- price ration depots, nearly fifty percent (around 3848) of them will be set up across ten districts of Jammu region. The CAPD Department has already discussed and fixed fresh norms for opening of these Government ration depots, covering all the tehsils, blocks/village panchayats and Wards of the Srinagar and Jammu Municipal Corporations, besides Wards of the towns where Municipal Committees/ Councils are functional.
The CAPD Department is also contemplating to close down the private ration depots existing across the State and allow only a few with some special considerations. They will now be replaced by the Government ration depots. For running these Govt fair- price shops, a staff of nearly 15,000 employees, will also be engaged in near future as at the first instance, a salesman and a weigh-man will be placed at each depot. About 7500 people will be recruited in Jammu region alone. The widows and even those who are below 40 years of age, with at least 12th pass or graduation as educational qualification, are likely to be considered for continuing their private sale outlets.
With this massive exercise, over 2410 private ration depots, existing only in Jammu region may face closure. Out of them, the highest number of 506 are in Jammu rural, 141 in Jammu city-I, 127 in Jammu city-II, 351 in Rajouri district, 280 in Doda, 216 in district Kathua, 150 in Udhampur, 164 in Reasi, 141 in Ramban, 160 in Poonch, 87 each in Samba and Kishtwar.
At present, there are 249 Government fair- price ration shops while 14 fair- price Cooperative ration outlets. The highest number of 49 Government owned fair- price ration shops are in district Kishtwar, followed by 33 in Kathua, 23 in Udhampur and Jammu rural each, 22 in Ramban, 21 in Doda, 20 each in Rajouri and Poonch districts, 17 in Samba, 14 in Reasi, 4 in Jammu city- II and 3 in Jammu city-I. Out of the 14 Co-operative fair price ration shops, four each are in Kathua and Udhampur, three are in Jammu rural, two in Reasi while only one in Jammu city-II. In Kashmir, the number of Government fair-price shops is much higher as compared to Jammu region.
Minister for CAPD Ch Ramzan when contacted said that the department has already started this massive exercise. A decision has been taken by the department to open new Government Ration outlets in the State including Ladakh region but it will take some time. The cabinet has yet to give its nod to the proposal. Due to election code of conduct, the process has been stalled and the implementation of Food Security Bill, may also take some time as whole exercise is yet to take place in the State. The process of creating additional stores at the identified places is also yet awaited. The beneficiaries are expected to be linked through Aadhar Cards for this purpose, he added.
Director CAPD Jammu, G S Chib when contacted admitted that the work on this proposal has already been commenced by the department. He said there is uneven distribution of depots/ private ration outlets in many areas. The criteria is to have one fair-price ration depot for 250 families but there are many depots which are covering even 1000 to 1400 families. Heavy rush is observed in many such ration depots and the public suffers. The process of rationalization has been started and new areas are being identified by the staff.
When asked about possible Opposition from private depot holders regarding this Government decision, Mr Chib said some people including widows and even those dependents, below the age group of 40 with good qualification, are likely to be considered. The purpose is to streamline and improve the supply system and contain the pilferage/ mal-practice. Over 15000 workers will be deployed for the purpose and these Government employees will be held responsible for any unfair or mal-practice. Even in Jammu, many depots have over 1400 families and long queues of rationees are often seen there. The system will surely improve with this, he maintained.
Replying to a question, Mr Chib said for the implementation of Food Security Bill a massive exercise is needed. The poor beneficiaries will get wheat at the rate of Rs 3, Rs 2 and Re 1 per kg under the categories. They will get this ration through these CAPD outlets. The categories are being identified and modalities worked out. But it will be decided at the highest level in the State. Some officers also visited several states to study this exercise and it will take some time, Mr Chib added.
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