The previous Government was not willing to implement the National Food Security Act in the State for its own reasons. The issue of FSA was long debated at administrative and legislative levels in almost all States of the country with each State weighing its pros and cons. The majority opinion that emerged after the issue received due attention in official and non official circles in the country and on civil society level as well was that the Act was beneficial for the general public and should be adopted. However, the previous regime in the State did not elaborate the reasons for non-implementation of the Act.
Late Mufti Sayeed took a bold decision and announced that the State accepted to implement the FSA, and consequently, instructions were issued to the concerned department, namely CAPD to initiate the process. The common belief was that there were vested interests who would not want the Act to be implemented because the Act would end their monopolizing the distribution of food grains and amassing vast amounts of money through corrupt means. It will be remembered that CAPD has been under severe criticism by the civil society and the media for rampant corruption as a result of which the functionaries of the department had made wealth and properties disproportionate to their normal and legal income. In fact, inquiries were set up and even the vigilance was also handling the departmental case of corruption so much so that nearly 70 functionaries of the department were indicted for one or the other irregularity. It is generally believed that this scam had tentacles spread out in a wider section of bureaucracy and political establishment and no decisive and exemplary action has been taken against the functionaries alleged to have committed financial and other irregularities.
However, this apart, after late Mufti Sahib implemented the FSA in the State, the vested interest created a number of administrative and other hurdles so much so that even normal distribution of ration in the length and breadth of the state was adversely affected. Supplies were adversely affected not only to the far off food outlets but even to the towns and peripheral areas as well. People protested and the Government was unable to remove their grievances.
However, with the passage of time, the present Government took up the matter with all seriousness and initiated steps that would ease food supply system. The most important thing to do was to bring down the shortage of food supplies that had been threatening the State for some time in recent past. Obviously, under revised policy, and after due consultations with the centre, it has become possible for the Centre to assure the State Government that food grains for three months would be released in advance to remove the apprehension of shortage of food in the State. About 1.87 lakh tonnes of food grains will be supplied three months in advance to Public Distribution System beneficiaries.
It appears that the Union Food Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan is showing keen interest in helping the State overcome food crisis especially in Kashmir Division. A senior officer of the Union Food Ministry said that the Centre had made the full allocation of food grains to the State for the entire year and that it was the discretion of the State to lift the allotted quantity. However, as the storage question also comes in, the Minister in charge of Food said that the State Government would be lifting advance ration of three months.
We learn that the Union Food Ministry is also looking at many more issues related to food supplies. For example, the Union Food Ministry has the plan of constituting a joint team for assessing the feasibility to establish modern food-grain storage system called ‘Silos’ in the state. Again it is of the opinion that food grain godowns presently situated in Srinagar would be shifted outside the city areas to decongest traffic system in the city. Again food godowns in Jammu no more in use of the Food Corporation of India would be returned to the State Government. These measures are likely to ease the issue of food storage along scientific methods. That will also help in preserving the grains from waste.
We appreciate the decision of the State Government to lift the food grains of three months in advance for distribution through PDS. This is bound to ease the food grains supply arrangement and create confidence among the consumers that the Government is seized of this problem.
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