Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Transport, Youth Services and Sports, Satish Sharma, today, held a meeting with the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, who is on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
During the interaction, Minister Sharma put forth a series of issues of urgent public importance concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those living in border belts, flood-affected and low-lying areas, as well as bifurcation of the Ration cards and sought the intervention of the Union Government for their redressal.
The Minister underlined the need for permanent Fair Price Shops (FPSs) and Government Food Stores in vulnerable areas to ensure an uninterrupted supply of essentials. He also urged for the inclusion of millets, pulses and edible oils in the PDS basket to enhance nutritional security, particularly for marginalised communities.
Highlighting the infrastructural needs, Satish Sharma pressed for modern warehousing facilities with temperature control, pest management and automated storage systems, as well as scientifically designed disaster-resilient grain silos at the district level for long-term preservation of buffer stocks. He also called for the establishment of state-of-the-art food testing laboratories across J&K to monitor the quality and safety of distributed food items.
To safeguard consumer rights, the Minister sought urgent attention towards strengthening consumer courts in J&K with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore for setting up 20 District Consumer Forums and two State Commissions. He also stressed the importance of consumer awareness programmes, regional workshops and capacity building initiatives for citizens, manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
In view of recent natural calamities, Satish Sharma appealed for additional foodgrains for affected families, proposing 5 kg per person for flood-hit inhabitants and 10 kg per person for those in cloudburst-affected areas, over and above the existing quota.
The Minister further recommended the delegation of powers under the Essential Commodities Act, 1980 to the UT Government, enabling it to declare essential items such as oilseeds and other local produce to effectively control black marketing and regulate prices in the interest of consumers.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those in border and disaster-prone areas, deserve strengthened food security systems, robust consumer protection mechanisms and improved infrastructure. I am confident that with the support of the Union Government, we will be able to address these pressing issues in a comprehensive manner”, Minister Sharma said.
Union MoS Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya appreciated the detailed issues raised by the State Minister and assured full cooperation from the Centre.
She highlighted the Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister is committed to strengthen the food security and consumer welfare across all regions, including Jammu and Kashmir. She added that the concerns raised will be given due consideration, and necessary support will be extended to address them.