Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, MAY 21: Principal Secretary Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRRR) Chandraker Bharti today reviewed the progress on implementation of the ration distribution in terms of the Special Relief Ration Scheme for Kashmiri/Jammu Migrants as well as extension of benefits of social sector/welfare schemes to eligible migrants, after integration of their ration cards on the national database.
The meeting was attended by Director Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Jammu, R.K Shavan; Relief & Rehabilitation Commissioner(M), J&K, Dr Arvind Karwani and senior officers from DMRRR, FCS&CA, Social Welfare Departments and National Informatics Centre.
During the meeting, the Principal Secretary directed the concerned departments to take proactive steps to reach out to all households and ensure ration supply to all migrant beneficiaries who have enrolled for integration on the NFSA database, even if e-KYC formalities are pending/ in process. He asked the FCS&CA Department to provide free ration of April and May as a one-time exception during the transition period into the NFSA database to all such beneficiaries from the FPS dealers indicated by them in the NFSA application, and issue necessary order on same.
The Principal Secretary also asked the officers of the Relief Organization to reach out to all such households that have still not lifted the ration despite the completion of e-KYC formalities and facilitate them. He asked the FCS&CA Department to explore the possibility of establishing a Ration ATM at Mini-Township Jagti, which houses more than 5,000 migrant families and Relief Organization shall identify and provide suitable space for the purpose.
The Principal Secretary also called for conducting an extensive IEC campaign through print, electronic, and social media to make migrants aware that the integration of migrant ration cards into the NFSA database is purely a welfare-oriented governance reform aimed at inclusion of migrants into the mainstream welfare architecture, extension of social security benefits, digitization and modernization of records, transparency, and accountability in beneficiary management. He highlighted that the continuation and protection of all the existing relief provisions/guidelines/ entitlements available to Kashmiri/ Jammu Migrants is ensured.
Social Welfare Department apprised the meeting that 776 families have so far availed the benefit of various social sector schemes after the integration of migrant ration cards into the NFSA database.
Pertinent to mention that migrants could not earlier avail the benefits of these schemes due to their ration cards being non-digitized and not integrated into the national database.
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