Srinagar demand more rice, no NFSA
Shutdown, traffic jam, clashes mark day three of protests
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Dec 16: State’s summer capital is boiling yet again----this time around for purely non-political purpose: Consumers in large numbers, with no political or civil society leadership, have begun demonstrating on the streets against the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed government’s decision to implement the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the special status State of Jammu and Kashmir. Their apprehension is that the enforcementof the Central law, which Omar Abdullah’s National Conference-Congress coalition categorically declined to implement, would not only deprive them of the ages-old subsidy but would also affect a drastic cut into the quantities of rice and flour they used to get under the previous public distribution system.
On the third consecutive day on Wednesday, hordes of the consumers, predominantly women, blocked the national highway bypass from Bemina to Shalteng. Traffic on the highway came to a standstill cumulating into a massive jam. Police did not interfere for several hours as Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar, according to highly placed sources, has already made it clear to the government that the belt force would not intervene into any peaceful demonstration. DGP has been repeatedly telling the civil authorities that resolution of such crises was exclusively their responsibility.
Consequently, traffic on the roads leading to Jammu, Anantnag, Baramull, Sopore, Uri, Kupwara and other areas in northern and southern Kashmir remained frozen for about four hours. The demonstrators demanded immediate revocation of the decision to implement NFSA as also continuance of the previous PDS system under which every APL and BPL family used to get 35 kilos of rice on subsidised rates per month.
Shops and businesses establishments remained shut down in Tengpora, parts of Batmaloo, Bemina, Parimpora, Shalteng and adjoining areas. Some of the consumers made a bonfire of their ration cards. They shouted anti-government slogans but avoided the traditional political slogans for azadi and against India and her security forces.
Contrary to the capital city outskirts, people in downtown Srinagar gathered at different places and they blocked roads while burning rubber tyres. At Habbakadal, Kralkhud, Tankipora, Zaindar Mohalla, Shaheed Gung and other places, demonstrators shouted anti-government slogans and clashed with Police and paramilitary forces. Even in Kohnakhan Dalgate, people put up a brief demonstration.
"They are cheating us in broad daylight in the name of NFSA. This is a great injustice to the consumers. They have already cheated us over flood relief and made our life miserable. Now they are going to deny us even the rice. They want us die of starvation. This is a conspiracy against us by Mufti’s and Modi's governments", Saleema of Shaheed Gunj complained to STATE TIMES.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar while reviewing the progress under National Food Security Act was informed that 86,085 consumers have obtained the digitalized forms and 17,769 fresh forms from the concerned Fair Price Shops/ Sale outlets. "All other consumers are requested to obtain the forms for correction/authentication immediately and return the same by 18th December 2015 positively so that their correct particulars are reflected in the database", said an official release.
"The consumers are once again informed that Adhar Card Number is not mandatory and the forms will be received back at the concerned FP Shops/Sale Outlets without Adhar Card Number. In case of any difficulty the consumers may contact concerned Assistant Director, CAPD North/South Srinagar", it said.
As per the schedule notified the preliminary list shall be displayed at the respective Fair Price Shops and sale outlets on December 22 and objections to the preliminary lists by general public shall be received upto December 26.
Shutdown, traffic jam, clashes mark day three of protests
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
---------------------
SRINAGAR, Dec 16: State’s summer capital is boiling yet again----this time around for purely non-political purpose: Consumers in large numbers, with no political or civil society leadership, have begun demonstrating on the streets against the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed government’s decision to implement the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the special status State of Jammu and Kashmir. Their apprehension is that the enforcementof the Central law, which Omar Abdullah’s National Conference-Congress coalition categorically declined to implement, would not only deprive them of the ages-old subsidy but would also affect a drastic cut into the quantities of rice and flour they used to get under the previous public distribution system.
On the third consecutive day on Wednesday, hordes of the consumers, predominantly women, blocked the national highway bypass from Bemina to Shalteng. Traffic on the highway came to a standstill cumulating into a massive jam. Police did not interfere for several hours as Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar, according to highly placed sources, has already made it clear to the government that the belt force would not intervene into any peaceful demonstration. DGP has been repeatedly telling the civil authorities that resolution of such crises was exclusively their responsibility.
Consequently, traffic on the roads leading to Jammu, Anantnag, Baramull, Sopore, Uri, Kupwara and other areas in northern and southern Kashmir remained frozen for about four hours. The demonstrators demanded immediate revocation of the decision to implement NFSA as also continuance of the previous PDS system under which every APL and BPL family used to get 35 kilos of rice on subsidised rates per month.
Shops and businesses establishments remained shut down in Tengpora, parts of Batmaloo, Bemina, Parimpora, Shalteng and adjoining areas. Some of the consumers made a bonfire of their ration cards. They shouted anti-government slogans but avoided the traditional political slogans for azadi and against India and her security forces.
Contrary to the capital city outskirts, people in downtown Srinagar gathered at different places and they blocked roads while burning rubber tyres. At Habbakadal, Kralkhud, Tankipora, Zaindar Mohalla, Shaheed Gung and other places, demonstrators shouted anti-government slogans and clashed with Police and paramilitary forces. Even in Kohnakhan Dalgate, people put up a brief demonstration.
"They are cheating us in broad daylight in the name of NFSA. This is a great injustice to the consumers. They have already cheated us over flood relief and made our life miserable. Now they are going to deny us even the rice. They want us die of starvation. This is a conspiracy against us by Mufti’s and Modi's governments", Saleema of Shaheed Gunj complained to STATE TIMES.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar while reviewing the progress under National Food Security Act was informed that 86,085 consumers have obtained the digitalized forms and 17,769 fresh forms from the concerned Fair Price Shops/ Sale outlets. "All other consumers are requested to obtain the forms for correction/authentication immediately and return the same by 18th December 2015 positively so that their correct particulars are reflected in the database", said an official release.
"The consumers are once again informed that Adhar Card Number is not mandatory and the forms will be received back at the concerned FP Shops/Sale Outlets without Adhar Card Number. In case of any difficulty the consumers may contact concerned Assistant Director, CAPD North/South Srinagar", it said.
As per the schedule notified the preliminary list shall be displayed at the respective Fair Price Shops and sale outlets on December 22 and objections to the preliminary lists by general public shall be received upto December 26.
END
TIMELINE AND HIGHLIGHTS OF NFSA
November 24, 2011: J&K Cabinet vide its decision No: 202/25/2011 dated: 24-11-2011 gave concurrence to the Government of India’s proposal for implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA) in J&K.
September 10, 2013: After being passed by the Parliament, Government of India notified the National Food Security Act- 2013 on 10 September 2013 for implementation across the country.
December 2, 2015: The State Cabinet in its meeting convened on 2 December 2015 approved implementation of NFSA in Jammu and Kashmir. As per the Cabinet decision, NFSA is to be implemented throughout J&K from 1 February 2016.
◆With the implementation of NFSA, 119.13 lakh souls (95% population) in J&K shall be covered under subsidized rations.
◆Out of 119.13 lakh souls, 13.77 lakh souls falling under AAY category shall get rations at the rate of Rs 2 per kg (atta) and Rs 3 per kg (rice). The scale of 35 kgs per family shall be maintained in AAY category irrespective of the number of souls in each family.
◆Under BPL category, 26.49 lakh souls will get rations at the rate of Rs 2 per kg (atta) and Rs 3 per kg (rice) with every member of a family entitled to get 5 kgs ration.
◆Under Priority Class, 33.87 lakh souls will get rations at the rate of Rs 2 per kg (atta) and Rs 3 per kg (rice) with every member of a family entitled to get 5 kgs ration.
◆In the Non-Priority Category, 45 lakh souls will get rations at the subsidized rate of Rs 8 (atta) and Rs 10 (Rice) with every member of a family entitled to get 5 kgs ration.
◆A small chunk of population of around 6 lakh souls comprising persons with income of more than Rs 25 lakh per annum, persons holding constitutional positions including Ministers and Legislators, employees of the State and the Central Government in the Gazetted Cadre and a person owning more than 80 kanals of land individually or 250 kanals of land in joint family shall be kept out of NFSA. For such families food-grains would be made available on OMSS (Open Market Sale Scheme) rates.
◆Any person who is, due to some reason, denied ration, will be given food security allowance
◆Under the existing dispensation only 18.02 lakh families comprising a population of 99 lakh souls are covered under Public Distribution System (PDS) in J&K while NFSA will cover 22.73 lakh families comprising a population of 119.13 lakh souls.
◆Implementation of NFSA shall usher an era of assured supply of highly subsidized rations to the citizens of J&K at their doorstep in a transparent manner.
END
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