Ration Crisis Cover 25 January 2021
News Kashmir Exclusive
Food security is key to the human survival
Recently the massive cut in ration quota and the directions to provide ration to only Adhar card holders triggered a protest in the premises of Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs here in Srinagar city. The protesting employees from the department alleged that field staff is unable to confront the general public due to vague orders issued by the government. The protest was led by Jammu and Kashmir Food and Supplies Employees Association President Riyaz Ahmed Sofi. The protesters raised the slogans against the government and alleged that the department has endangered the lives of field staff especially store keepers. Employee leadership stated that the Department has deleted one lakh 25 thousand consumers from its portal just because they have no Adhar Cards. This is absurd and a move to harass people. They opined consumers ask store keepers to show formal order.
Pertinently, Government has curtailed over 120371.62 quintals of food-grains (rice and wheat) in Kashmir Valley. Store Keepers and Fair Price Shop dealers have virtually locked their stores demanding supply of rice as per the desired quota and a formal announcement from the Department in this regard. Under National Food Security Act (NFSA), Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Kashmir has allocated 210849.89 quintals of food-grains for the month of January 2021. Last year in October, 331221.51 quintals of food-grains had been allocated for Valley. “This is a deficit of 120371.62 quintals of food-grains and it is a huge margin that will affect people badly.For the month of January 2021, under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) category, 30457.95 quintals of rice (50595.74 quintals in Nov 2020) have been procured. Under the same category 1321.60 quintals of wheat has been allocated while the figure in November 2020 was1488.11 quintals. For the month of January 2021, under Priority Household (PHH) category, 98035.79 quintals of rice (155941.69 quintals in Nov 2020) have been procured. Under the same category 6620.00 quintals of wheat has been allocated for the current January month while the figure in November 2020 was 8207.46 quintals. For the month of January 2021, under Non- Priority Household (NPHH) category, 70701.04 quintals of rice (109239.08 quintals in Nov 2020) have been allocated. Under the same category 3713.51 quintals of wheat has been allocated for the current January month while the figure in November 2020 was 5749.43 quintals. The political pulse of Jammu and Kashmir is expressing deep anguish over the sorry state of affairs with reference to ration availability and the paradigms brought in.Expressing concern over the shortage of ration and arbitrary curtailment in food supplies quota in Kashmir division, Apni Party senior leader Muhammad Dilawar Mir Monday urged Lt Governor ManojSinha to address the issue on priority.
A statement of Apni Party issued here said that Mir said that Kashmir was witnessing an awful shortage of ration supplies and the Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department Kashmir appeared to be in “deep slumber”.On the other hand , in a joint statement issued here, senior NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather and NC Women’s Wing President ShameemaFirdous said that there was a crisis-like situation in Kashmir due to non-availability of basic essentials and the administration had failed to live up to its obligation of ensuring people all basic civic amenities and essentials. The statement quoted the NC leaders as saying that the curtailment of monthly ration to APL and BPL families had compounded the woes of people across J&K in general and people of Kashmir in particular due to the ongoing harsh winter season.
