Public grievances over restoration” of family ration quota under National Food Security Act (NFSA) to 11Kgs per soul from the present quota of 5 Kgs per soul after the withdrawal of J&K Food Entitlement scheme head to no dead end in Jammu & Kashmir as entitlement for monthly ration under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) is just 5 Kgs per soul against the entitlement of 11 Kgs per soul availed by the people just two years back. The grievances are increasing month after month and year after year because of the fact that people are inevitably buying half of the ratio quota consumed by them monthly from the open market after the withdrawal of J&K Food Entitlement scheme two years back. In view of the economic slowdown triggered by two consecutive covid lockdown in the years 2020 and 2021 and unprecedented rise in the open market prices of rice people find it unaffordable to buy rice from the open market. What matters the most is the fact that rice is the major part of two time meals in Kashmir and people don’t tend to break this ages old food habit at all. Keeping in view the fact that two successive covid lockdowns in two consecutive years badly hit the livelihoods of the people of the lower middle classes and consequently brought down their spending habits to a new low in Jammu & Kashmir like many states and union territories of the country. While the irrefutable fact is that not only one but many key sectors of economy particularly apple trade and passenger transport services were badly hit by the two consecutive lockdowns in two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021 Kashmir , the majority of the people of lower middle classes in Kashmir are heavily banking upon apple trade and passenger transport services.
The consumers don’t insist on the revival of J&K Food Entitlement Scheme for restoration of family ration quota of 11 Kgs per soul but they insist on increase in family ration quota upto 11 Kgs per soul under that National Food Security Act (NFSA) itself. Consumers in Kashmir are concerned about the implementation of one or other scheme but they surely concerned over the Government’s response to their demands for increase in family ration quota from 5 Kgs to 11 Kgs per soul.
In view of the unprecedented dip in the livelihoods due to unprecedented slow down in business operations in the vital sectors of economy the review of the present family ration quota fixed by the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) department deserves an immediate attention and intervention of the Government. The consumers don’t insist on the revival of J&K Food Entitlement Scheme for restoration of family ration quota of 11 Kgs per soul but they insist on increase in family ration quota upto 11 Kgs per soul under that National Food Security Act (NFSA) itself. Consumers in Kashmir are concerned about the implementation of one or other scheme but they surely concerned over the Government’s response to their demands for increase in family ration quota from 5 Kgs to 11 Kgs per soul.
