Food supplies are suddenly faced with acute shortage in remote areas of Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch during the month of February and even till today in March. The CAPD has failed to provide the supplies for reasons not known. Consumers have been forced to purchase food grains from open market but those who cannot afford market price are put to great disadvantage. CAPD is not coming out with the reason for shortage in supplies. In particular suspension of kerosene supplies to many districts has caused much public resentment. Owing to incessant rains and floods power supply has been disrupted and people depend on kerosene, which too is not available to them.
The reason why CAPD has failed to maintain regular supply of food grains and other items to the far flung areas is that the Government released funds only on February 28 and thereafter, the process of procurement, releasing and grinding of wheat in the mills started. The quota of March is yet to be released and distributed to the consumers. This reveals that there are some bottlenecks in the administrative system but the authorities are showing no concern. Somebody has to take the responsibility of getting funds released in proper time so that the CAPD is in a position to ready the supplies in good time and arrange its distribution. There is overall slackness in the system which causes difficulties for the consumers.
Lakhs of people in the above mentioned districts are badly affected by shortage of supplies. This is a serious matter and the Government should take immediate steps towards ensuring that food supplies are brought to these people without obstruction. The Minister in charge of Food Supplies is learnt to have taken up the matter with the Finance Minister so that the situation is eased. But we would also like to suggest that the system should be reformed in a way that such problems do not recur often and people are not put to suffering.
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