Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 15: State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar tomorrow evening, will discuss the proposal of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department regarding opening of 7697 Government controlled ration depots across Jammu and Kashmir.
As reportedly exclusively by EXCELSIOR on July 11, the Cabinet is also likely to order transfers and postings of Deputy Commissioners in view of the clarification obtained from the Election Commission of India, which says that ban on transfers of District Election Officers (Deputy Commissioners) due to Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls, will apply from July 17.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, which is entrusted with the responsibility of providing Public Distribution System (PDS) food grains in every nook and corner of the State, has moved a proposal seeking Cabinet’s approval to the launch of new initiative of opening Government controlled depots for distribution of ration.
At present, the CAPD Department is distributing food grains through a network of Government sales depots, private ration dealers and some cooperative societies. Though there are hardly any complaints against Government sale depots and very few complaints against cooperative societies run sale outlets yet the complaints are galore against private ration dealers of not issuing ration as per scale and rates. Moreover, there are also complaints about these private ration dealers misbehaving with the rationees.
In response to a question, sources said, “at present, there is no regulation/control on the functioning of FP shop dealers and often the complaints of pilferage get reported. In order to overcome the problem and ensure providing of food grains at least at the nearest possible distance to the public, the number of sale outlets has to be increased to comply with the guidelines of National Food Security Act, 2013”, adding “in view of this the department has felt the need of shifting from existing FP shop system to the Government controlled sale depots”.
Under the scheme of Government controlled network, 7697 depots will be opened throughout the State with one salesman and one helper in each depot. Such sale depot will be opened for every 200 to 250 families, sources further said.
Responding to another query, sources privy to the proposal of the CAPD Department said, “the present strength of Government run sale depots is 1507 (233 in Jammu division and 1274 in Kashmir division) and the existing staff of store keepers will continue to function on the Government sale depots”, adding “the need based arrangement of 7697 (which would include existing FP shops, sale outlets under internal arrangement and additional sale outlets) will be excluding the existing staff deployed on Government sale depots”.
“The existing number of FP shops will be included in the scheme and they will form the first charge to be managed formally on consolidated wage basis instead of commission”, they said, adding “as far as fate of those who are not eligible is concerned, it has been proposed that either department will provide relaxation of qualification as well as of age or let them continue for a period of one year with the condition that during this period of one year they will transfer the dealership in the name of eligible unemployed person out of their family for replacement subject to fulfillment of eligibility conditions”.
According to the sources, the Cabinet will also consider the proposal of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj regarding creation of posts under Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashatikaran Abhiyan, a Government of India Scheme.
The department has proposed creation of 1032 posts of Accountant-cum-Data Entry Operators in 1032 Panchayat Halqas in first phase. “The job profile of the Accountants-cum-Data Entry Operators will be to maintain accounts of the Panchayats and up-load softwares prescribed by the Ministry for various activities which include accounting, area profile and uploading of plans etc.
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