Deptt all set to provide 2 months’ supply: Director
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 26: In view of the total lockdown as affective measure to save people from deadly Coronavirus and further contain the movement of people outside, the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department in J&K was all set to provide home delivery of ration to the consumers through dealers as well as directly.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the beginning has been made from Udhampur town while in all the 10 districts of Jammu region, the home delivery of ration will be started within a day or two. As already declared by the J&K UT Administration, the consumers will be provided two months’ advance ration but if they are willing to lift only one month’s quota, the choice has been left to the individual. He or she can lift next month/s quota in May also or as per her/his convenience, they added.
The sources further revealed that through Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, the operation of door- to -door delivery of ration was started the day before yesterday, but for Jammu City a massive exercise was needed to be conducted to make the things practical. It is very difficult to make home deliveries in the thickly populated areas of Old Jammu City like, Purani Mandi, Jullaka Mohalla, Panjtirthi, Link Road, Pir Mitha, Ragunath Pura etc where the lanes are very narrow and even small load carriers can’t reach. For this massive manpower is required.
“It will not be possible to ensure supplies at door steps of the rationees without the involvement of local ration dealers. For this, the senior officials of the Department held a meeting with the City Ration Dealers Association and assured them to provide manpower and load carriers/ vehicles for the distribution of the food-supplies. An effective mechanism is being devised to ensure supplies in the rural areas as well,” the sources added.
Director, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Jammu, Jitender Singh when contacted said that an extensive exercise has been started in all the districts of Jammu province to launch home delivery of ration to the CAPD consumers. It is being started in Jammu City and other districts as well in a day or two. All the district heads (Assistant Directors of the Deptt) and Tehsil Supply Officers (TSOs) have been directed to launch the operation, Singh maintained.
Replying to a question, the Director said in Udhampur, with the initiative of DC, this facility has already been launched but entire district is yet to be covered. He said Helpline for cousumers has been launched in each district and the phone numbers of the Assistant Directors / TSOs are being provided to the general public through print and electronic media so that any body may call to the concerned officer and ask for home delivery of ration. District Kathua Helpline was published in many newspapers today and others will follow. Even they can contact Directorate of FCS&CA directly, their need regarding food grains will be fulfilled promptly, he assured.
The Director further disclosed that they are hiring private load carriers and labourers. They will be provided passes from the concerned District Magistrates. The concerned ration dealers will also be involved in this distribution exercise. The department would provide two months advance ration to consumers and if any body is willing to lift one month’s quota only, it has been left to his choice and capacity, he added.
” We have sufficient supplies of food grains available in CAPD stores. More vehicles were pressed into service at FCI stores located at various locations in the region. The people should not create panic. The department would continue to provide regular supplies to them on demand as per their quota, already fixed by the Government against the ratio of existing family members,” the Director said.
Meanwhile, Jammu City Ration Dealers Association president, Prabh Dayal has said that Association has already extended full cooperation to the FCS&CA Department in this hour of crisis and national emergency like situation. He said that his Association members/ dealers would work shoulder to shoulder with the ADs/ TSOs and other field staff of the Department for the safety and welfare of the general public.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
