Minister for Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today took a detailed review of the implementation plan for Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) to supplement the National Food Security Act in the state.The high level meeting was attended by Secretary, CA&PD, Shafiq Ahmed Raina, Director CA&PD, Kashmir, and other officers.The Minister directed Secretary CA&PD to constitute a committee with Director, CA&PD Jammu, Kashmir and Director Finance as members to explore the provisions and avenues for the possibility of direct procurement of food grains from various markets.This move comes as part of the MMSFES to fulfill the additional requirement of 4.30 metric tons of grains by the state to supplement NFSA. The committee is to examine scope for purchasing the required quantity of food grains from alternate sources in addition to the Food Corporation of India and obtain the statutory clearances and assurances in this regard from the Union Government. The Committee has been asked to frame a general draft procurement policy within a month so that the scheme is effectively implemented in Jammu and Kashmir from 1stJuly, 2016.
The Minister while reviewing the progress of the ongoing fidelity check in the state stressed on the importance of achieving 100% accuracy in data of beneficiaries and correct categorization in the AAY, BPL and Priority categories. He asked the department officials to establish better collaboration with District Administrations to secure highest level of fidelity and delete bogus ration cards, after due verification and make sure no genuine beneficiary is left out.The Minister was apprised that till date about 10 lakh errors have been identified in the data checking process and the same have been rectified.
The Minister asked the department officials to work out and make the necessary logistic arrangements for transportation, handling and distribution of food grains including Atta under the ‘Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme’.
The Minister also directed the Secretary, CA&PD to establish a mechanism for digitization of records of each District where in daily stock and disbursement data is updated and made available on an online public platform. This would facilitate transparency in the public distribution system and help fix accountability within the system.The MMSFES shall supplement the Right to Food Security for 5 Kg food grains per soul per month guaranteed by the TDPS system under NFSA-2013 and provide additional entitlement of multiples of 5 Kg food-grains per soul for the TDPS population in various categories namely BPL, Priority Household (PHH) and NPHH with family size of 1 to 6. The quantum of additional food grains would be 5Kg per soul subject to a maximum ceiling of 35Kg per family.