Jammu region faces ration shortage: Authorities fail to break official-depot holder nexus

Jammu region faces ration shortage
Authorities fail to break official-depot holder nexus
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 6
Though Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Qamar Ali Akhoon maintains that steps are being taken by the department to break the nexus between depot holders and officials of the department, most parts of the Jammu region are facing an acute shortage of ration.

Protests against ration shortage have become a routine affair as the authorities concerned have failed to streamline the supply. Opposition parties have also been demanding that the state government should improve it.

“It is unfortunate that the people, especially those living below the poverty line (BPL), have to struggle to get ration because the authorities concerned have failed to control its pilferage ,” said Ashok Gupta, president of the Shiv Sena.

Highlighting the problems of residents of the RS Pura area of Jammu district, Gupta alleged: “A majority of people living in the area have not been getting ration for the last one and a half years, but the department has done nothing to streamline the supply. There is a nexus between officials of the department and ration dealers”.

“The subsidised ration meant for the BPL families rarely reaches them and is easily available on the black market,” he added. There were a number of instances in the past few months where either the Vigilance Department or the police arrested ration dealers and the CAPD officials while selling the ration on the black market. A dealer was arrested from Ustad Mohallah here recently in this regard.An official of the department and a dealer were also arrested from the Khandwal area in the Satwari block.

The BJP has also been raising the issue at different platforms. The Kissan Morcha of the party recently launched a campaign to demand ration for people living in the Kandi area of the Jammu region. The issue was also raised in the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council during the Budget session, but no action was taken.

However, CAPD Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon assured the people that adequate ration would be provided. He said, “Those, who are not getting ration, can send their complaints directly to me through fax. I assure the people that their complaints will be addressed immediately ”.

He added: “We are trying our best to streamline the functioning of the department and those who want to give their suggestions are welcome”. Akhoon said he had decided to visit the areas from where the department was getting the complaints.

Courtesy: The Tribune