Only 5 kg ration per soul being issued under NFSA in JK, why JKFES was wound up unofficially, people ask , 10 kg ration per soul is minimum requirement in JK
We have taken up matter with government for review, people getting 5 kg ration as per scale in rest of India: Director FCS&CA Kashmir Dr. Abdul Salaam
Haris Hoorain
Srinagar: With closure of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) from December 31, 2022-aimed at providing additional 5kg food grains per month to beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA), Jammu and Kashmir is g witnessing foograins crises as people of Jammu and Kashmir are gety only 5 kg rations per beneficiary under NFSA from January 2023 instead of 15 kg viz 5 Kg under NFSA, 5kg under PMGKAY and 5kg under Food Entitlement Scheme (JKFES) respectively.
After Covid-19 pandemic struck, PMGKAY was launched in India from March 2020 to provide additional free 5 kg foodgrains per person every month to about 80 Crore beneficiaries across India while as about 60 lakh beneficiaries were covered under PMGKAY in Kashmir division to reduce their hardship during the lockdown period. This was over and above the general allocation under the NFSA and JKFES.
After implementation of NFSA in Jammu and Kashmir ,then Jammu and Kashmir government introduced erstwhile Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) in 2016 now known Jammu and Kashmir Food Entitlement Scheme (JKFES) to supplement the National Food Security Act in the state and maintain the availability of foodgrains but ironically the Department of Food & Public Distribution in J&K unofficially winded up the scheme in September 2022 due to which beneficiary allotment of food grains was reduced to 10 kgs per month viz 5 Kg under NFSA and 5kg under PMGKAY.And now with closure of PMGKAY, the people in Jammu and Kashmir where rice being the staple food would be provided only 5 kg foodgrains, rice and wheat to all NFSA beneficiaries which will result into huge foodgrain crises as there would be acute shortage of ration particularly rice.
Even though Government of India has decided to provide free rations from Ist January, 2023 under NFSA for one year in a move to couch the poor from the effects of closure of PMGKAY ending on December 31, 2022. But nobody even has given a thought to deficit of foodgrains which has resulted with closure of JKFES and PMGKAY in Jammu and Kashmir. “Even though NFSA ration will be free of cost from Jan 2023 to December 2023, every soul who is enrolled in NFSA (AAY/PHH) will get 5 kg per month free of cost but nothing will be given in addition to NFSA ration which means 50% of the demand have to be fulfilled through open market on exorbitant rates,” said a top food department official on conditions of anonymity.As per available data of Department of Food & Public Distribution in J&K, total allocation of foodgrains rice and wheat under the three schemes for Kashmir Division was 585671.00 quintals, in the month of August 2021 the allocation of food grains was reduced to 510000.00 quintals, with closure of JKFES in September 2022 the allocation of food grains got reduced to 455000.00 quintals and now with winding up of PMGKAY from December 2022, the allocation of foodgrains is in January 2023 got squeezed to mere 283051.00 quintals for approximately 60 Lakh populace of the valley whose staple food is rice which is more than 50 percent staple food cut.The data which indicates that beneficiaries who earlier used to get 10 kg of ration would get only 5 kg ration per soul per month under NFSA which is insufficient as agriculture experts in JK suggest 10kg rations per soul per month because rice is the staple food in Jammu and Kashmir.When contacted Director Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Kashmir Dr. Abdul Salaam Mir, he confirmed that JKFES has been winded up by government and people of Kashmir are getting ration as per scale in rest of India which is 5 kg per soul under NFSA, however, he added that the matter has been taken with government for review.“ I agree that rice is a staple food in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Kashmir. We have got representations from various delegations and the matter has been taken up with the government for review,” he added.When asked about reasons of unofficial closure of Jammu and Kashmir Food Entitlement Scheme (JKFES) which was introduced to supplement the NFSA given the demand and consumption of rice in Jammu and Kashmir, he replied “the JKFES scheme has been closed” With the government deciding not to provide extra foodgrains over and above the NFSA quota, experts suggest it will create crises of food grains in Jammu and Kashmir.Jammu & Kashmir being one of the top performers of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) with distributing 100% ration among beneficiaries during last year the scenario of distribution of commodities (Rice and Wheat) in Jammu & Kashmir.As per the data provided, It was observed that the J&K government is reaching out to One Crore people with ration through a network of 6738 ration shops covering 25.73 Lakh ration card holders including both NFSA & Non-NFSA beneficiaries. Moreover, the department operates the distribution process through an online public distribution system.“Food Department has been making tall claims of emphasizing on streamlining the distribution chain, besides rationalizing the availability of quality food grains at subsidized and affordable prices. Is providing only 5 kg ration to an individual is streamlining distribution,” asked Nazir Ahmad Bhat. Government of India’s One Nation, One Ration Card, being a part of the Prime Minister’s Technology Driven System Reformation under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan scheme was announced with the aim that it would not allow any beneficiary to suffer on account of non-availability of sufficient food grains due to disruptions from COVID-19 but Kashmir is witness contrary.———- Forwarded message ———From: Reyaz Ganai <reyaz.ganai786@gmail.com>Date: Sun, Jan 8, 2023, 7:16 PMSubject: EXCLUSIVE :ood grain crisis in offing in JK, staple food cut down by 55 percent from Ist January 2022 by FCS&CA departmentTo: Kashmir Images <kashmirimages123@gmail.com>, <qayoomnaik9@gmail.com>, <kashmirimages@hotmail.com>, <akeelsofi@gmail.com>Food grain crisis in offing in JK, staple food cut down by 55 percent from Ist January 2022 by FCS&CA departmentOnly 5 kg ration per soul being issued under NFSA in JK, why JKFES was winded up unofficially, people ask , 10 kg ration per soul is minimum requirement in JK We have taken up matter with government for review, people getting 5 kg ration as per scale in rest of India: Director FCS&CA Kashmir Dr. Abdul SalaamReyaz RashidSrinagar: With closure of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) from December 31, 2022-aimed at providing additional 5kg food grains per month to beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA), Jammu and Kashmir is going to witness the foograins crises as people of Jammu and Kashmir would get only 5 kg rations per beneficiary under NFSA from January 2022 instead of 15 kg viz 5 Kg under NFSA, 5kg under PMGKAY and 5kg under Jammu and Kashmir Food Entitlement Scheme (JKFES) respectively. After Covid-19 pandemic struck, PMGKAY was launched in India from March 2020 to provide additional free 5 kg foodgrains per person every month to about 80 Crore beneficiaries across India while as about 60 lakh beneficiaries were covered under PMGKAY in Kashmir division to reduce their hardship during the lockdown period. This was over and above the general allocation under the NFSA and JKFES.After implementation of NFSA in Jammu and Kashmir ,then Jammu and Kashmir government introduced erstwhile Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) in 2016 now known Jammu and Kashmir Food Entitlement Scheme (JKFES) to supplement the National Food Security Act in the state and maintain the availability of foodgrains but ironically the Department of Food & Public Distribution in J&K unofficially winded up the scheme in September 2022 due to which beneficiary allotment of food grains was reduced to 10 kgs per month viz 5 Kg under NFSA and 5kg under PMGKAY.And now with closure of PMGKAY, the people in Jammu and Kashmir where rice being the staple food would be provided only 5 kg foodgrains, rice and wheat to all NFSA beneficiaries which will result into huge foodgrain crises as there would be acute shortage of ration particularly rice.Even though Government of India has decided to provide free rations from Ist January, 2023 under NFSA for one year in a move to couch the poor from the effects of closure of PMGKAY ending on December 31, 2022. But nobody even has given a thought to deficit of foodgrains which has resulted with closure of JKFES and PMGKAY in Jammu and Kashmir. “Even though NFSA ration will be free of cost from Jan 2023 to December 2023, every soul who is enrolled in NFSA (AAY/PHH) will get 5 kg per month free of cost but nothing will be given in addition to NFSA ration which means 50% of the demand have to be fulfilled through open market on exorbitant rates,” said a top food department official on conditions of anonymity.As per available data of Department of Food & Public Distribution in J&K, total allocation of foodgrains rice and wheat under the three schemes for Kashmir Division was 585671.00 quintals, in the month of August 2021 the allocation of food grains was reduced to 510000.00 quintals, with closure of JKFES in September 2022 the allocation of food grains got reduced to 455000.00 quintals and now with winding up of PMGKAY from December 2022, the allocation of foodgrains is in January 2023 got squeezed to mere 283051.00 quintals for approximately 60 Lakh populace of the valley whose staple food is rice which is more than 50 percent staple food cut.The data which indicates that beneficiaries who earlier used to get 10 kg of ration would get only 5 kg ration per soul per month under NFSA which is insufficient as agriculture experts in JK suggest 10kg rations per soul per month because rice is the staple food in Jammu and Kashmir.When contacted Director Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Kashmir Dr. Abdul Salaam Mir, he confirmed that JKFES has been winded up by government and people of Kashmir are getting ration as per scale in rest of India which is 5 kg per soul under NFSA, however, he added that the matter has been taken with government for review.“ I agree that rice is a staple food in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Kashmir. We have got representations from various delegations and the matter has been taken up with the government for review,” he added.When asked about reasons of unofficial closure of Jammu and Kashmir Food Entitlement Scheme (JKFES) which was introduced to supplement the NFSA given the demand and consumption of rice in Jammu and Kashmir, he replied “the JKFES scheme has been closed” With the government deciding not to provide extra foodgrains over and above the NFSA quota, experts suggest it will create crises of food grains in Jammu and Kashmir.Jammu & Kashmir being one of the top performers of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) with distributing 100% ration among beneficiaries during last year the scenario of distribution of commodities (Rice and Wheat) in Jammu & Kashmir.As per the data provided, It was observed that the J&K government is reaching out to One Crore people with ration through a network of 6738 ration shops covering 25.73 Lakh ration card holders including both NFSA & Non-NFSA beneficiaries. Moreover, the department operates the distribution process through an online public distribution system.“Food Department has been making tall claims of emphasizing on streamlining the distribution chain, besides rationalizing the availability of quality food grains at subsidized and affordable prices. Is providing only 5 kg ration to an individual is streamlining distribution,” asked Nazir Ahmad Bhat. Government of India’s One Nation, One Ration Card, being a part of the Prime Minister’s Technology Driven System Reformation under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan scheme was announced with the aim that it would not allow any beneficiary to suffer on account of non-availability of sufficient food grains due to disruptions from COVID-19 but Kashmir is witness contrary.