The PDP-BJP Coalition Government was euphoric on agreeing to implement the Food Safety Act in the State. It made tall claims that after implementing the Act from March 2016, rations supply condition would improve immensely, particularly for the far flung rural areas of the State. But the question is what the position of supply of food grains and levy sugar is in the State right now. The ground situation is critical because regular supply of ration including levy sugar for last one month or more is severely interrupted and disturbed with the result that consumers are left without allotted quota of ration even in the urban areas. The condition of supply in rural areas is worse. In vast hilly areas of Jammu Division like Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Kathua and Udhampur people are faced with acute shortage of food grains and other supplies. We know that people in these areas are entirely dependent on supplies made by CPAD because agricultural production in these areas is only scanty and far short of the needs of the local people. A row that has bedeviled supply of adequate quantity of ration to the consumers is that ration supplied to the consumers is on the basis of 2001 census figures and not on 2011 census figures. Hardly 40 to 50 per cent of the allocated quota of ration is provided to the consumers and as regards levy sugar only once in last five months sugar was supplied. Even during the festival days, no sugar allocation was made.
The question, which the people ask is whether the condition of scarcity is deliberately created by the CPAD and its associates? When CAPD fails to provide adequate quantity, it is but natural that consumers having to survive make purchases from the black market. And how does the black market for rice, atta and sugar run? This is the real question. Ration dealers in urban as well as semi-urban and rural areas are generally complaining that concerned Tehsil Supply Officers (TSOs) are not providing them full allotted (APL/BPL/AAY) quota of ration including sugar for the last several months and this has resulted in clash with the consumers. They further allege that even the pending quota of previous month has not been cleared while in last 16 days, there is no supply at all despite the fact that advance money has been deposited with the Department officials. We have reports that for the last few months, TSOs in Jammu proper are not being provided full quota of their respective areas from the Central store. Some senior officers have created mafia like nexus in collusion with some influential millers. Where is this public quota of APL and BPL going, people would want to know. There is massive pilferage of public ration and people are deprived of their full allotted quota. This is the reality on ground and it belies the tall claims of higher authorities that food supply condition is satisfactory.
CPAD has been under a cloud. A number of allegations are brought against its functionaries. We have brought out several editorials on malfunctioning and corruption rampant in this department. It is since long that people in the State particularly in rural and far-flung areas of Jammu Division have been complaining of irregular and short supply of food grains. The Government cannot evade the protestations of vast rural community and must act without wasting any time to ensure smooth supply of rations is ensured to rural as well as urban areas of the State.
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