The second blow

22/07/2017

Pinning hope of ‘good days’, about 45 lakh people in J&K have a ‘bad news’. Their levy sugar quota provided through CAPD outlets, has been stopped from this month. Not only this, the CAPD sugar will be provided only to the BPL/AAY (PHH) category people in the State and that too, at the rate of Rs 25 instead of Rs 13.50 per kg. This is the second blow of ‘sharp price hike’ to the J&K consumers in just one year. Earlier, in November 2016, the Government had raised the price of Atta from Rs 7.80 to Rs 13 and that of rice from Rs 10 to Rs 15 per kg. After the implementation of ‘Food Security Act’ in the J&K by the BJP-PDP Government, there has been no respite to the hapless consumers in the State from the ‘food scarcity’. While supply of sugar has been badly affected during last one and half year in view of delay in tenders and non-fixation rates with the contractors out-side the State, the supply of Atta too, specially in rural and semi urban areas witnessed shortage during this period.
There are about 1.19 crore people getting ration through CAPD depots/ outlets. About 74 lakh have been registered in the category of PHH or in other words living Below Poverty Line (BPL) and fall in the category of poorest of the poor (AAY). Rest 45 lakh have been shown in the Non Priority House Hold (NPHH) category. So, this 45 lakh population has been denied the levy sugar supply in the entire State while 62 % of the State population which has been shown in BPL/AAY (PHH) category by the department, will continue to get levy sugar at the rate of Rs 25 per kg. Interestingly, about 62 % BPL/AAY figures in the state, projected by the CAPD in its record may raise question mark on the procedure adopted and norms fixed by the Department to include people in this category and needs immediate scrutiny and probe by the team of officials from at least three other departments.
Jammu province, a population of about 19.46 lakh would cease to get levy sugar from this month onwards from ration depots. He said about 32,08,660 people under NPHH will continue to get this benefit. The Director said there were rumours that each family would get one kg sugar only, but it is not so. The PHH people will get the sugar at the same scale of 500 gm per soul. Giving figures of Jammu quota of levy sugar, the Director CAPD said Jammu province was getting is 25,778 quintals of sugar every month but now the quota is being reduced to 16,043 quintals. He said district Jammu was getting monthly quota of 6975 qtls, Samba 1533 qtls, Kathua 2985 qtls, Udhampur 2667 qtls, Reasi 1536 qtls, Rajouri 3216 qtls, Poonch 2334 qtls, Doda 2,004 qts, Kishtwar 1128 qtls while Ramban 1396 qtls of sugar every month.
He claimed that Central Govt has now stopped subsidy in all the States and State Government took the decision to stop the levy sugar for NPHH category from this month. Assurances of providing ration as per 2011 census of this Government have fallen flat, the public is deprived off even the old existing quota of ration. At present, they are getting hardly 50 % of their total allotted quota of ration whereas, in last about seven months, levy sugar has been provided to the public only twice or thrice. The Government has failed to ensure regular supply of sugar for one and half year. It is said to be going for fresh tenders again and again for the reason best known to the people at the helm of affairs.

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