Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 28: Serious differences have surfaced between members of Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) on implementation of National Food Security Act in Jammu and Kashmir with Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution sending dissenting note to the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on the ground that several pro-people decisions of the department were not incorporated in the report.
Sources privy to the deliberations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh told EXCELSIOR that several pro-people points suggested by the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Ch Zulfkar Ali were completely ignored by two other members of the Committee particularly the Minister for Finance, Dr Haseeb A Drabu.
“The Finance Minister was not ready to understand the logic behind certain important points raised by CAPD Minister”, sources said, adding “this has compelled the CAPD Minister to send dissenting note to the Chief Minister and the issue is likely to be debated hotly during the forthcoming Cabinet meeting”.
They disclosed that CAPD Minister had suggested that National Food Security Act should be initially implemented in the six districts from January 1, 2016 on experimental basis and the same should be extended to other districts of the State from April 1, 2016.
“However, the Finance Minister opposed this suggestion despite the fact that CAPD department is prepared only to implement the Act in six districts”, sources further said. The CAPD Minister had also suggested that food grains should be provided to 136 lakh population as assessed by the Deputy Commissioner’s in reference to the Government Order No.33-CAPD of 2015 dated April 16, 2015 but Finance Minister opposed this while challenging the authenticity of the figures provided by the Deputy Commissioners.
“Due to non-consideration of the figures duly certified by the Deputy Commissioners, only 119 lakh souls would be provided food-grains under National Food Security Act as against 136 lakh recommended by the DCs as such 17 lakh people would remain deprived of ration”, sources further said, adding “ignoring figures provided by the CAPD amounts to undermining the Deputy Commissioners”.
Disclosing that CAPD Department had suggested scale of 13 kg ration per soul in Marwah, Wardwan, Dachan and Padder in Jammu division and Karnah, Tanghdar, Machail, Leh and Kargil in Kashmir division, sources said, “this has also been turned down by the Cabinet Sub-Committee as a result of which under NFSA these people would get only 5 kg per soul”.
Moreover, the CAPD Minister had suggested that Finance Minister should provide 2 months cushion to facilitate the CAPD Department in procuring and distribution of food grains but this was also opposed by the Finance Minister, sources further said while disclosing that the dissenting note and report of the CAPD would be hotly debated during the forthcoming meeting of the Cabinet.
Follow our WhatsApp channel