Praising the efficient working of Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Accountant General for Jammu & Kashmir has appreciated Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali for taking various measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Distribution System in the state.In an official communication to Minister vide no AD/Sectt/2016-17/23, K. Subramaniam, Accountant General has appreciated Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali and congratulated him for various measures undertaken in improving efficiency of PDS operations in Jammu & Kashmir.The Accountant General has also recommended setting up of Civil Supplies Corporation, saying that it will obviate the need for taking adhoc measures like creation of a revolving fund.On the occasion, the Minister said that the department has started distribution of ration as per Census 2011 by adding 3.29 lakh families in the list of beneficiaries and currently is in role in implementation of National Food Security Act and implementation of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme.
The Minister said that the department has also started payments through e-mode/online and taken various measures like installation of Signboards, Weighing Scales and suggestion boxes on every Fair Price Shop, Installation of IP Cameras for watching the loading and unloading of food grains in Stores, Installation of GPRS Trackers in food-grains carrying vehicles and Oil Tankers for monitoring and improving efficiency of the Department.Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali said the Department has also started cent per cent direct lifting of food-grains from FCI godowns, besides all long staying employees were shifted for the first time. He said other measures taken to further improve the condition of the Department include rationalization of K-Oil, Amendment in Brick Kiln Act, Quarterly supply of ration to consumers instead monthly supply, Constitution of State Consumer Protection Council and District Consumer Protection Councils, framing of Policy for opening of New Fair Price Shops, starting of Grievances Redressal Mechanism, Distribution of New Ration Cards to consumers after 15 years, Preparation of District Directories, implementation of End to End Computerization, e-PDS, Supply Chain Management, Digitization of data and strengthening of Legal Metrology wing.