Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, July 7: Minister for Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution, Ch Zulfkar today complimented Union Minister for CA&PD, Ram Vilas Paswan for organizing a consultation meeting with Ministers of various States to discuss measures to ensure adequate availability of essential Commodities and Food Items.
Speaking at the National Consultation meeting of Ministers of States, UT’s in-Charge, Food and Consumer Affairs, here, Ch Zulfkar urged the Union Minister to approve 9.50 lakh MT of food grains to J&K, so that it is able to implement the National Food Security Act fully.
“We are prepared to implement NFSA provided our annual allocation is enhanced to 9.50 lakh MT instead of 7.51 lakh MT. An early approval to 9.50 lakh MT allocation may be accorded, so that we decide to implement NFSA without putting our population to disadvantage of PDS food grains” he said.
Ch Zulfkar requested extension in implementing the NFSA for one more year and also sought permission for coverage of 90% population in rural areas and 75% in urban areas. He said presently 63.55% population in rural areas and 47.10% for urban areas have been determined to be covered as per census 2011.
He said with the implementation of NFSA-2013 in the State, 74.13 lakh souls will be covered under NFSA at highly subsidized rate of Rs 3 for rice and Rs 2 for wheat. Out of 2.72 lakh MT allocation at APL rate about 40 lakh souls will be covered. Thus approximately 114.13 lakh souls will be covered leaving behind around 11.00 lakh souls as uncovered as per census 2011. The State has to arrange the food grains at economic price for the uncovered APL population.
He said on the basis of coverage determined for J&K and entitlements prescribed in the Act, the estimated annual allocation of foodgrains to the State are 4.79 lakh MT. Further, as per the provision of the Act the annual allocation of food grains to any State under the Act is less than the annual average off-take for the last three years under Normal TPDS, the same shall be protected at prices as may be determined by the Central Govt. The J&K State is therefore entitled to receive a total annual allocation of 9.50 lakh MT of food grains under NFSA keeping in view the annual allocation, additional ad-hoc allocation, allocation for nomadic population, social welfare institution and Kashmiri migrants, he added.
Ch Zulfkar further said that e-PDS Project presently on 50:50 (sharing basis) needs to be changed to the pattern of North-Eastern States and the funding has to be changed to 90:10 so that J&K could implement this important project. Further, the cost of Aadhaar seeding needs to be fully funded by Government of India.
Meanwhile, in his address, Ch Zulfkar also suggested to hold next CA&PD Ministers Conference at Srinagar.
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