Srinagar: Even as the state legislature Wednesday discussed and adopted a Private Members Resolution seeking the provision of 35 kg ration @ Rs. 2 per kg to each family, concerned quarters are wondering why the state government has failed to execute the food policy it has drafted with much pomp.
In its reply to an MLA’s resolution, the government has said: At present the Government of Jammu & Kashmir is receiving the ration from Government of India as per projected population of 2000 and is providing the ration to its genuine ration card holders as per census population of 2001 @ the scale of 35 kg per family The National Food Security Act has come into force on 05-07-2013 and the coverage determined for J&K is 63.55% in rural areas and 47.10% for urban areas which works out to be 74.13 lakh populations which is to be covered under NFSA.
Although the State has taken various preparatory measures for implementation of the said Act in the State, yet like in many other states it has not been implemented in the state of J&K because of the fact that only 74.13 lakh population comes under its coverage if implemented in its present form, thereby meaning that a large section of the society would be left outside the preview of subsidized ration. The matter for enhancement of coverage under NFSA has already been taken up with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food& Public Distribution Department, Government of India and the final decision about the issue is yet to be received from Government of India.
Since the provision of providing the food grains at the rate of Rs. 2.00 in respect of Atta and Rs. 3.00 in respect of Rice has been kept in the Act, therefore, once the Act is implemented, the State shall be able to provide the ration to the eligible households by covering the population of census 2011 at the rate of Rs. 2.00 in respect of Atta and Rs. 3.00 in respect of Rice at the scale of 5 Kg per soul.
Another Resolution seeking granting national highway status to Mughal Road also came up for discussion in the House.
The Resolution was moved by Ch. Zulfikar Ahmed. The discussion on the resolution remained inclusive.
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