Kashmir: LG for robust public distribution system in UT

During the meeting chaired by Sinha to review the Public Distribution System at the Civil Secretariat, the Lt Governor took stock of the performance and future targets for the Food, Civil  Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) department under PDS, an official handout said.

It was observed that the J&K government is reaching out to One crore people with ration through a network of 6,738 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.

Emphasizing on streamlining the distribution chain, besides rationalizing the availability of quality food  grains at subsidized and affordable prices, Sinha directed the concerned officials to bring  reforms at the policy planning level to make the system more robust.

He directed the officials to make all schemes available online, besides fully automating the distribution process, authentication of  beneficiaries and putting special focus on public grievances to facilitate the people.

He further passed directions pertaining to timely winter dumping and providing them to the beneficiaries in advance.

Laying stress on the need to be proactive towards the issues of public in the wake of Covid pandemic,  the Lt Governor directed the department to ensure seamless distribution of additional free-of-cost food  grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to alleviate the hardships faced by  the poor and needy.

Earlier, Commissioner/Secretary, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Zubair Ahmad informed in the meeting that more than 95 per cent of Aadhaar seeding of Ration Cards for NFSA beneficiaries has already been achieved, while the ration distribution is being done exclusively  through PoS machines.

He briefed the chair about the overall operationalisation of PDS in the UT; to date coverage of ration cards across J&K; ePOS Status; progress achieved under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), besides the status of 'Subsidized Sugar' to AAY families; use of web-based portals; Status of end-to-end computerization and Constitution of Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums.

More than one Lakh MT allocation was made under various schemes like NFSA, PMGKAY, Non-NFSA, and  JKFES during the month of May this year, a a statement informed.

The Lt Governor observed that ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’, part of the Prime Minister’s Technology  Driven System Reforms under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, has empowered the poor and the needy. It is one of the game changer initiatives giving flexibility and seamless access to PDS and delivery  of food-security entitlements to all beneficiaries, anywhere in the country.

“A perfect example of  integrating technology with the government process and putting it to optimum use for benefit of poor”,  he added.

The Lt Governor also stressed on ensuring seamless availability of food grains to the consumers, while  identifying priority assessments including moving maximum ePOS machines to online mode,  introduction of Nomination Policy to cover deprived claimants, coverage of vulnerable groups,  streamlining distribution of Kerosene oil, tracking of Supply Chain Management, formulation of NFSA  Rules, Aadhaar seeding of Non-NFSA etc.

Increase enforcement activities of the Legal Metrology Department, besides keeping a strict vigil on black marketing and illegal profiteering, he added.