Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday met the Union minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan at New Delhi and discussed issues pertaining to allotment of essential commodities including food grains by the Centre to the state.
Omar Abdullah highlighted the necessity of increasing quota of food grains to the state to meet the demand of people, particularly the poor.
He said for a state like Jammu and Kashmir, being deficit in the production of food grains and confronted with severe winters along with remoteness and inaccessibility of areas, there was the highest need of buffer stocking of food grains, fuel, petroleum, kerosene and other essential items, particularly in areas which remain cut off from the towns and cities during winters.
It was stated at the meeting that Jammu and Kashmir was receiving 63,067 tonnes of food grains per month as per projected population of the year 2000 for 18.02 lakh families whereas the state consumer affairs and public distribution department was distributing ration to 19.72 lakh families which resulted in a monthly shortfall of 5,953 tonnes of food grains, which had further widened due to an increase in population from 101.44 lakh in 2001 to 125.49 lakh in 2011.
The CM said under such circumstances the supply of essential commodities from the Centre should be adequate and regular so that there was no scarcity of essentials.
{{/usCountry}}The CM said under such circumstances the supply of essential commodities from the Centre should be adequate and regular so that there was no scarcity of essentials.
{{/usCountry}}Omar also discussed the issue of waiving of taxes imposed by SFC and sought separate quota of food grains for Kashmiri migrants as well as for welfare institutions.