CAPD told to ensure timely dispatch of ration to stores

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 7

With resentment brewing against the government for its failure to supply ration in the city, the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department has been directed to conduct an area-wise survey to get details about the requirements to ensure ration is dispatched on time.

While the Central Government has not released food grains as per the population figures of Census 2011, a faulty distribution process by the department is leading to food shortage in Jammu. There is no supply of ration for days together to several depots and people are forced to buy rice and flour from shops, which is more costly than that supplied through the Public Distribution System (PDS). “Long queues seen outside the ration stores brings to the mind the old days when the country was dependent on food imports and food was scarce. It is indeed quite humiliating to stand and almost fight for your turn at the shop,” said Omkar Singh, a retired government employee.

Though several steps taken against black marketers are improving distribution, there are still many loopholes in the system due to which the common man is facing problems. As per Census 2001, the state receives a monthly quota of 63,067 metric tonnes (MTs) of ration from the Centre at the scale of 35 kg per family per month. There is deficit of 55 MTs of food grains per month at the existing scale. CAPD Minister Choudhary Zulfikar Ali said the distribution system was being revamped and more stress was on the artificial scarcity created by a few distributors. “We are working on improving the system and people will not be put to any hardship. Consumers should register their complaints so that action could be taken against anyone who is not doing his work,” he said.

While the Centre has still not released food grains as per the population figures of Census 2011, the faulty distribution process by the Consumer Affairs Department is leading to food shortage in Jammu.