National Food Security Act has seen ups and downs in the State ever since it was passed by the Parliament. First, the coalition Government headed by Omar Abdullah soft paddled with it for reasons of its own. Then the PDP-BJP coalition took good deal of time to decide in favour of implementing the Act in the State. After the demise of Mufti Sayeed, stray voices have been raised opposing the implementation of the Act. Since owing to some administrative slackness or maneuvered delay, ration could not reach consumer depots in time, there was hue and cry about shortage of food grains. Political actors always on the prowl of creating a mischief here and a row there exploited the delayed supply of essential items of ration and tried to politicize the entire episode. Of course, there was some delay in supply system but that was only a temporary phase and could be easily over come. Now, the administration headed by the Governor has taken very clear and effective decision in this regard, which will set at rest all the manipulated controversy about the feasibility of introducing National Food Security Act in the State.
The State Administrative Council (SAC) has ordered increase of the ration scale from 5 kgs to 7 kgs per soul in the BPL and Priority Sector House Holds (PSHH) category to bring relief to a vast majority of people across the State. It is a major decision and entails procuring additional quantities of food-grains from FCI. It is a comprehensive order and takes care of all categories of the population of the State but essentially making most of the people beneficiaries of the Act. The BPL category people will be receiving maximum benefit from the new order. For a BPL family of 5 members, maximum ration supplied per month will be to the tune of 35 kilograms at the rate of rupees 12 per kg of rice and rupees 10 per kg of wheat. Earlier the family would incur food expenditure of Rs. 224 per month which will get reduced to Rs. 195 under new order. The SAC has ordered that the additional provision of food-grains will be made available at 2 kg per head, over and above the NFSA entitlement of 5 Kg/head, in respect of all the 42.51 lakh individuals belonging to the PSHH category.
Two important and connected aspects have also been taken care of. One is ensuring adequate supply of ration to the depots and second is providing finances for the additional expenditures likely to be incurred in accordance with the new order issued by the SAC. The new scheme of rationing will take effect from April 1. 2016. The SAC directed the Finance Department to immediately provide additional resources to the extent of Rs.105 crore to Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution Department (CAPD) to implement the decision relating to enhanced scale of food-grains over and above the NFSA entitlements. Finance Department shall also provide an annual “Trading Account” facility of Rs.630 crore for upfront procurement of additional food-grains for immediate and efficient implementation of these decisions, particularly ensuring the physical availability of the required quantity of food-grains. Closer study of the scheme to be introduced from April 1, we find that the State Government has gone beyond the NFSA framework, by way of supplementation of NFSA entitlements in the priority category (PHH), particularly in respect of BPL households, to address such concerns notwithstanding the obtaining resource position of the State. Therefore, with this courageous and bold decision of the SAC, a long ranging controversy on the implementation of National Food Security Act in the State is set at rest with assurance to the consumers of various categories that there interests have been taken care of. We think that the SAC has taken a very important decision that will bring relief to the entire population of the State. An issue that had been politicized now stands resolved amicably. All that one can say about it is that the Governor has gone beyond the NFSA and has been liberal to the people in general but to the economically weaker sections in particular.
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