The Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) and Information, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali, today chaired a meeting to review the performance of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology and Information Department in Samba and Kathua districts.Deputy Commissioner Samba Shhetal Nanda, Deputy Commissioner Kathua Ramesh Kumar, Director FCS&CA R A Inqalabi, SSP Samba Anil Magotra, Joint Director FCS&CA, Deputy Director Legal Metrology, Deputy Director (P), Chief Accounts Officer FCS&FA, Sub Divisional Magistrates, Tehsildars and other officers concerned Departments were present in the meeting.The meeting discussed the progress and achievements under NFSA and MMSFE schemes and reviewed the status of stock and supply position, allocation, lifting, distribution of essential commodities under PDS.Highlighting the importance of technological solutions, the Minister said that for improving efficiency, transparency and accountability in the Public Delivery System (PDS) it is imperative to bring technological interventions in the routine functioning of the Department.He said that Adhaar seeded ration cards will confirm the identity of beneficiary and thus eliminate ghost beneficiaries and improve the efficiency in coverage under the food schemes.
The Minister directed for making it mandatory on the beneficiaries enrolled with UIDAI to link their Adhaar numbers for availing rations at FPS. He directed the concerned to ensure universal Aadhar enrollment for both the districts.Zulfkar Ali also instructed for fixing of timeline for completion of monthly distribution process of food grains. He directed completion of ration distribution by 15th of every month, submission of utilization certificates thereof, by concerned authorities on 16th to facilitate subsequent allocation of food grains to the Tehsils, thus ensuring their timely distribution.In an attempt to check misallocation of food grains, the Minister mandated fixing of ration allocation strictly according to the actual distribution of previous month. “The excess ration of one Tehsil can be utilized in the Tehsil with greater food grains requirement”, he added.Taking strict notice of the laxity in lifting of the sanctioned ration allocations, he ordered an enquiry into the matter to be submitted within seven days for fixing the responsibility for the lapse and subsequent disciplinary actions against the erring officials.
Zulfkar Ali impressed the Deputy Commissioners, SDMs and Tehsildars to undertake frequent checks and monitoring of the distribution status and progress at district, sub-division and tehsil levels, respectively.He also impressed upon the District Information Officers to highlight the success stories of the districts in various developmental articles to be published periodically.The meeting further reviewed the status of implementation of various provisions of Consumer Protection Act, market checking and achievements under other fronts including census, revenue, composition and challans.The Minister called for strengthening of Legal Metrology Department for efficiently protecting and promoting the interests of consumers besides generating mass awareness about consumer rights.The meeting was informed that Kathua has introduced innovative stamping cum traders awareness camps to bring desired changes at the very first step of distribution chain towards sale of standardized product with authenticated information and packaging.