JAMMU: Carrying forward the pioneering welfare agenda initiated by the government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the state cabinet today approved some major initiatives as a part of the government’s response to the marginalized, disadvantaged and other sections of the society.
In a major welfare initiative, the State government today launched Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) to supplement the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
This was announced by Minister for Education, Mr Naeem Akhtar at a press conference after the maiden meeting of the new state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti here this afternoon. Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali and Director General Information, Mr Zaffar Ahmad Bhat were also present on the occasion.
Mr Akhtar said with the significant pro-people measures taken by the Government since March 2015 have made J&K a real welfare state, were a social, financial and food security cover is being provided to all such sections of the population who deserved it the most. “The Government headed by Ms Mehbooba Mufti is committed to protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens as was envisioned by Mufti Sahab,” he said and added that with these ground-breaking measures J&K is headed to become a model welfare state in the country.
He said the government headed by Ms Mehbooba Mufti decided to review NFSA in light of the commitment made by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at his last press conference in Jammu in December 2015, where he (Mufti Sahab) had announced to remove the anomalies, if any, in NFSA and make it more people-friendly.
Mr Akhtar said under MMSFES, all those persons who are covered under the state’s public distribution system, will get additional 5 kgs of ration per person in addition to 5 kgs of ration they are entitled to get under NFSA. He said the additional quota of ration under MMSFSES would be provided to the consumers at the subsidized rate of Rs 13 per kg for Atta and Rs 15 per kg for Rice and the State Government shall have to bear the financial burden of Rs 1497 per annum for the implementation of NFSA and MMSFES.
He said under the new scheme, there will be uniform scale of rations for all areas and food preferences of consumers will be taken care of and instead of wheat 75% population would get atta.
Mr Akhtar said the new public distribution scheme will be operationalised from July 2016 as the CA&PD Department has to be given time to prepare ground for its effective implementation.
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