Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 16: Disparaging the functioning of Public Distribution System in Jammu and Kashmir, CPI (M) State Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today said the pilferage and a trend of malpractices is causing scarcity of ration, black-marketing, hoarding and profiteering with a telling impact on the people.
Addressing a public rally at Manchewa in south Kashmir, Tarigami observed that a substantial number of families have been left unregistered with Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department and they are forced to procure the ration from open market at un-affordable prices.
The CPI (M) leader remarked that ration is being provided to the households on 2001 census and the Government does not bother about the families that have split since 2001 and need ration. Though ration has been increased for BPL category, but such measures are adhoc and selective, he added.
Criticizing the Food Security Bill which is pending in parliament, Tarigami said the proposed legislation will make Public Distribution System (PDS) dysfunctional. The State Government must cut the unproductive expenditure and spend it on food for poor, the way ration is being provided at Rs 2/ Kg in few States in the country.
Urging the Government to take immediate measures for arranging required stocks of ration from the Centre to benefit the uncovered population under PDS, the CPI (M) leader said the State Government must project the food requirements of the population that had increased since 2001 census in the State. Referring the recent hike in electricity tariff, Tarigami said in Jammu and Kashmir people are being charged to pay for darkness.
The fresh hike in power tariff is directly going to hit lakhs of consumers in the State who have witnessed an unprecedented and an arbitrary hike in power tariff in past few years.
The CPI (M) leader advised the Government to take ground realities into the consideration and rescind this anti people decision. Power position in rural areas continues to be grim and far from satisfactory. The government has no rationale to hike tariffs without improving power supply position in the rural areas, he said.
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