Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, Aug 19: Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) launched to provide supplement quota to consumers has failed to take off in this southern district as consumers are yet to receive supplement quota. Reports pouring in from several areas of Bijbehara, Srigufwara, Pahalgam, Shangus, Achabal, Dooru said that storekeepers haven't disbursed the ration under the scheme in the month of July- the month it was formally implemented in the state. Residents of several other villages of the district narrated the same story. "We received what we used to receive as per National Food Security Act (NFSA) nothing less nothing more," Gulzar Ahmad, hailing from Nowshera said. Duirng the course of investigation, Early Times found most of the villages haven't received the supplement quota under the scheme. Many residents said that they were unaware about such a scheme. "Due curfew, restrictions and strike we don't know about it," villagers said
However, in some villages of the district, department has started distributing the ration under the scheme in this month. "We received the supplement quota of 10 kg's at the cost of rupees 160 but not in the month of July," Khurshid Ahmad, a Khiram resident said. Ironically the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department as fixed Rs 10 per kg for Rice. Admitting storekeepers have played the foul in the month of July, Assistant Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department, assured action.The officer also ringed one of the Tehsil Supplies Officer (TSO) managing Srigufwara and adjacent villages who too admitted to haven't disbursed the quota under the scheme in the month of July. "We have received over 16000 quintals of rice under the scheme in the month of July and have supplied to ration depots across the district. We will ensure ration reaches to consumers," AD Food assured. He also requested Local Awqaf Committees to make announcements so that everyone gets his due share. Pertinent to mention here, Mehbooba Mufti govt launched Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) to supplement the National Food Security Act in the state after facing protests over the implementation of National Food Security Act. Under the scheme, consumers will get additional 5 kgs of ration per person in addition to 5 kgs of ration they are entitled to get under NFSA at the subsidized rate Rs 10 per kg for Rice. |
