Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali on Wednesday called for effective implementation of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES). He said the progress of implementation of the scheme would be reviewed periodically and the officials found lax would be taken to task.Speaking during a meeting convened here to review the progress of implementation of MMSFES in the State, the Minister said the scheme was initiated in the name of the late leader with the objective of providing food cushion to the people of State. He said the present Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti is emotionally connected with the scheme, and its implementation has to be undertaken with that spirit.The Minister said stern action would be taken against errant officers found guilty of any kind of lapse in the implementation of the scheme.Asking for streamlining of the department in its functioning, the Minister said the primary job of the department is to procure food-grains, lift the same to the departmental stores, and to distribute it among the consumers.
Zulfkar Ali said the department has to evolve the system first on scientific lines so that things are done with ease. Giving an example of Food Corporation of India, the Minister said the Corporation has to do the similar exercise of procuring, lifting and later distribution, in entire country. If the Corporation can do it with ease, FCS&CA should ideally try to replicate the same mechanism to ensure things get done in similar fashion here in State also, he said.Stressing the need for putting words into action, the Minister said that review meetings alone would not serve any purpose, unless the directives given in these meetings are put into practice.The meeting was informed that under MMSFES scheme around 60,000 metric tons of rice was distributed in Kashmir province from July this year till date.The Minister appreciated Director FCS&CA Kashmir for smooth execution of the scheme in entire Valley despite having difficult situation to work with.Secretary, FCS&CA, Shafiq Raina, Director FCS&CA Jammu, RS Chib, Director FCS&CA Kashmir, Tassaduq Jeelani, concerned Deputy Directors, and other officers attended the meeting.