Union Minister of Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan today directed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to ensure that J&K gets three months quota of ration in advance.The Minister issued the instructions during a high level meeting held here today that was attended by State Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, Director CA&PD Kashmir, Mr. Peerzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, FCI General Manager State, Mr. Kishore Kumar and FCI Area Manager, Mr. K V Koul.The Union Minister said the Centre would provide all possible assistance to ensure that people in State don’t face any problem on account of ration supply.Taking into cognizance the request made by State Minister for CA&PD, Mr Zulfkar Ali to provide advance quota of ration for people of State, the Union Minister said the Central leadership, in their earlier meeting with Mr. Zulfkar, had assured him that three months advance ration quota will be provided and it stands by its commitment.
The Minister directed the FCI officers to ensure availability of adequate ration at their stores for lifting purposes so that the State Government could distribute the three months ration in advance to the consumers.During the meeting, Mr. Zulfkar Ali also discussed other issues with the Union Minister, who assured him that Union Government would extend every possible support to the State with regard to ration supply.The meeting was informed that the FCI has a storage capacity of 23890 metric tonnes.It was also decided that a high level meeting would also be held in New Delhi soon where the Union Minister would review the commitments made by Centre were fulfilled.