Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today said that Food Corporation of India (FCI), State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC), and Department of CA&PD have to work in a coordinated manner to ensure that people get food supply on time.He said this during a review meeting to check preparations for implementation of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES), here.Speaking during the meeting, Minister Zulfkar Ali said that FCI, SRTC, and CA&PD work in a chain, and if anyone among them does not work properly the whole chain gets affected. He added that it is must that all the three organizations work in synergy to enhance the work output in particular and to serve people in general.Stressing on the need to enhance the efficiency, the Minister said that all the departments have to work in a coordinated manner to increase efficiency. He added that inefficiency would not be tolerated at any cost, and strict action would be taken against officers found derelicting their duties.The Minister announced that he would roll out MMSFES in Kashmir division, while in Jammu, Speaker of Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta would inaugurate the scheme, besides, Deputy Commissioners would roll out the scheme in their respective districts.He asked FCI to increase their loading capacity.
The meeting was informed that State requires around 12 lakh metric tons of food grains per year, while more than seven lakh tons are required under National Food Security Act (NFSA), more than four tons under MMSFES, and the rest for midday meals.For lifting and distribution of food grains, it was decided that SRTC would provide CA&PD, 365 vehicles per day for Kashmir division, while for Jammu 369 per day would be provided to CA&PD.During the meeting it was also decided that no vehicle would remain unloaded in FCI stores, and in case FCI fails to load SRTC vehicle the former would bear the service charge due to SRTC for the vehicle.Similarly, it was agreed upon by the concerned agencies that if SRTC sends less than 350 vehicles in Kashmir to FCI store, 10 percent would be deducted from its total payment. The Minister also directed that store keeper should be charged 2000 per day if he fails to unload the loaded vehicle within 12 hours.While reiterating need to enhance transparency in distribution process, the Minister directed the SRTC to ensure that their vehicles would have Global Positioning System (GPS) system installed on their vehicles.Secretary CA&PD Shafiq Raina, Managing Director, SRTC GA Sofi, Area Manager FCI, Director CA&PD Jammu G S Chib, and Director CA&PD Kashmir Peerzada Mushtaq Ahmad along with other officers attended the meeting.