Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: The chairman of J&K National Panthers Party and former Minister Harshdev Singh has urged upon the State Governor to constitute an enquiry committee to probe the deficiencies pointed out by the Parliamentary Panel in the working of J&K CAPD Department, which has revealed several incriminating and disappointing aspects in the distribution of food supplies in the State.
In a press statement Mr Singh said that the issue of various irregularities including shortage, poor quality, leakages and black-marketing of food grains was repeatedly agitated in the Assembly on scores of occasions in the past few years and assurances were doled out every time to hold enquiry but no action was taken in view of powerful mafia controlling it. He said that despite several communiqués to concerned authorities no action has been initiated against delinquent officials and unscrupulous ration dealers.
The NPP leader said that the rural and remote areas were the worst affected as there was no timely supply of ration and people were suffering badly because of persistent defaults on the part of Consumer Affairs and Public distribution Deptt. to ensure regular food supplies. He said that the ration dealers in majority of the remote areas were playing truant and committing several frauds in the process of ration distribution.
He said that ration was never being given as per prescribed scale in majority of tehsils of Jammu division in particular and there was large scale mis-appropriation as was repeatedly agitated in the Assembly. He accused the dealers of adulteration and other mal practices thus providing poor quality ration to the bonafide consumers. He said that several fraudulent ration cards and BPL certificates had been prepared by the unscrupulous dealers in connivance with the Department officials.
Drawing the attention of the Governor towards the matter, Mr Singh said that it was a matter of concern that losses to the tune of Rs 4.33 crores had been incurred during 2014-15 on the transport of food supplies only. He said that the recommendations of the Parliamentary panel regarding streamlining the transport and distribution system and reduction of losses in transit of food supplies need to be implemented in letter and spirit.
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