* Govt to bear burden of Rs 80 cr for subsidy
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 20: While the Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) has yet to finalise the contract rate with the millers from outside the State, the consumers in J&K are without levy sugar for the last about two months as the CAPD department has failed to provide them quota even during the Navratra festival.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the purchase committee of the CAPD department has failed to finalise the rate of the levy sugar in last one and half month and the negotiation process was going on with the millers from outside the State from whom the CAPD would lift sugar quota. While the sugar was easily available in the open market at the rate of Rs 28 per kilogram, the miller whose tender was found to be lowest has quoted the rate of around Rs 39.50 per kg.
Since the rate of the sugar supply to the J&K by all the seven national competitors has been quoted above Rs 39.50 per kilogram, the State level purchase committee headed by Commissioner/ Secretary CAPD had a few rounds of talks to bring it down as the deal would cause extra burden on the State to the tune of over Rs 80 to Rs 90 crores annually. Even during the last year, the rate was not so higher. This delay in the process has affected the supply of levy sugar quota to the consumers in J&K.
Reports from Kathua, Samba and Udhampur besides many parts of Jammu district said that no sugar supply was made by the CAPD authorities during September and now October is also almost over and hardly one week is left, the sugar supply has not been made till today. Even the district level officials of the department are claiming that there is no hope of supply in next one week as contract has not been finalized by the committee so far. The stores are dry and even in Jammu stores, there was no sugar quota available.
There is strong resentment among the people as the department could not provide levy sugar to them during Navratra festival, Eid and Moharram and now Dussehra is coming this week. They said that dealers claimed that even the concerned TSOs are not accepting advance payments for the sugar quota and therefore, there is no hope of getting it soon. The public has been left to purchase the sugar from the open market. They say even dealers provide them sugar at the fag end of every month and many consumers remain without supply and their quota is pilfered in a well devised strategy at the end.
Sources disclosed that monthly quota of sugar of Jammu region is around 31,500 quintals. In Kathua district the monthly quota of sugar provided by CAPD is 3580 qtls, in Udhampur it is 3052 quintals while in Reasi it is just 1778 qtls. The quota of sugar in Kashmir is higher than the Jammu region. Earlier, FCI used to make supply of sugar but now for the last two years, it is being directly purchased from the millers by the State Government.
Minister for CAPD, Ch Zulfkar, however, said that delay in contract finalization is the main reason behind the non-supply of levy sugar in many areas. He said national tenders were floated during August this year and seven firms from UP and Maharashtra contested. Two could not qualify while five remained in the contest. The lowest rate quoted by one of them was to the tune of Rs 39.78 which is otherwise higher as compared to last year. The sugar in the market is available for Rs 28 per kg. Last year, the rate quoted was to the tune of Rs 36.90. Central Government gives the subsidy of Rs 18.50 per kg to the State and CAPD charges just Rs 13.50 per kg from the consumers. Rest of the burden of this levy sugar has to be borne by the State Government.
“Last year, Government faced the burden of Rs 60 crore and this year it may go up to Rs 80 crore. The State is not in a position to take much burden and therefore, we decided to go for negotiations with the contractor even if they quoted the lowest rate,” Zulfkar said.
Replying to a question, he admitted shortage of sugar and regretted non-supply during Navratras and Muharram. He said the State level purchase committee would hold next round of meeting with the contractors and it would be finalised shortly. As it is finalized, the supply will be received here within one week, the Minister maintained.
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