DC’s Panel hikes rate to Rs 59, Deptt still giving old rate of Rs 30
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 30: Up in arms against the Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Jammu, for its indifferent attitude and total failure to pay the commission and carriage charges of food grains worth over Rs 5 crore of the ration dealers in Jammu for the last about 10 months, the hapless ration outlet operators have resolved to stop lifting ration from Ist February, 2020 if the Department fails to clear their long pending dues.
Official sources told the EXCELSIOR that there are over 300 ration depots in Jammu city (JMC Limits). The Department of Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs pays Rs 143 per quintal of the ration as commission to the dealers. For each dealer, per month quota of ration including rice, wheat, flour , sugar etc has been fixed by the concerned Tehsil Supply Officer.
About four years ago, the FCS&CA Department used to make supplies at the door steps/ each ration outlet through its own transport system and manpower. But now, the ration dealers have been asked to lift the ration quota of every month at their own. And in turn, the Department decided to pay them carriage money every month at a fixed rate per quintal. The department is paying Rs 30 per quintal as carriage charges to them (Within JMC limits) and Rs 4.40/ quintal/ bag as handling charges/ labour money, sources added.
The sources further revealed that since April 2019, the Jammu Directorate of FCS&CA has failed to pay the commission as well as carriage charges to the Jammu ration dealers, who are moving from pillar to post for the payment of their money. Not only TSOs concerned but they also approached Assistant Directors, Deputy Director, CAO and even the Director FCS&CA Jammu, Jitender Singh for the release of their pending dues, but he also expressed his inability to pay the same.
As on date, in Jammu City alone, there are about 300 ration outlets. The dues of each outlet operator , ranging from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 2 lakh are pending. While in Kashmir province, the department pays rent also of the private shops/ outlets and fixed wages to the weighmen but in Jammu the private ration dealers have been denied these facilities by the department, devising two different yardsticks for Kashmir and Jammu provinces. There are total 261 weighmen in Jammu region but they are getting their wages from the department regularly only, the commission of the ration outlet operators in Jammu have been stopped without any justified reason, sources said.
Jammu City Ration Dealers Association president, Prabhu Dayal, when contacted, said that they are requesting the concerned TSOs and Assistant Directors to pay their commission for the last several months. Even several deputations of the Associastion met the Deputy Director but they are only buying time.
“Every time, they give false assurances of paying `next month. Recently we also met the Director FCS&CA Jammu Jitender Singh, who just passed the buck to the Commissioner/ Secretary, stating that he has taken up the matter with him. When the money will be paid by the Government, he will release the same”, the Assocaition leader said.
Dayal pointed out that all the ration dealers are made to pay the money and deposit in the account of the FCS&CA Department in advacnce every month for the ration supply. “The quota is released only after the payment is made in advance. They sell the ration to the public and then pay the money of sold ration back to the department. Out of that sold food stuff and money collected thereof, the departtment officials have to give them commission. Then what is the problem to the officers concerned to release their commission every month. Why they hold on their money / commission and carriage charges for months together?” he asked.
He alleged that dealers are forced to pay graft/ commission while reasing their own commission/ carriage amount by most of the concerned TSOs and this is another reason of harassing the hapless dealers. There is need to streamline the rusting system within the department, he maintained.
Referring to the very low rate of Rs 30 per quintal as carriage charges being paid by the department to the City ration dealers, the Association president said a Committee under DC Jammu was constiturted during 2018 and this committee recommended Rs 59/ per quintal as carriage charges in August 2018, but this rate was never given by the department to them. Moreover, Rs 4.40 are being given for handling/ carrying one ration bag of one quintal as labour charges which is mockey.
No labourer takes less than Rs 15 to 20 for carrying one bag and distance varies in each area as some depots are located in the lanes. It appears that system has totally collapsed as never before such lapse was observed in the department. The dealers are unable to carry on operation under such circumstances and Association has decided to stop lifting ration from February Ist in Jammu city if the department fails to release their dues, Dayal claimed.
Director, FCS&CA, Jammu, Jitender Singh, when contacted, said that he was aware of the issue. He claimed that 75 % of the funds are provided to them by the Centre. Since they have not been provided the funds since long, therefore, the department is unable to make the payments. The Director further claimed that he has written to the Commissioner/ Secretary, FCS&CA about the matter.
When asked why Rs 30 per quintal are being paid as carriage charges to the dealers despite the fact that a committee framed by the Government under the then Deputy Commissioner Jammu approved Rs 59 per quintal as rate per quintal in August 2018, the Director said, the formal approval from the Administrative Department as well as from Finance Deparrtment is awaited. Therefore, he was unable to implement.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
