Jammu, Mar 3: Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution minister, Qamar Ali Akhoon again came under attack from the opposition in the legislative assembly on the alleged scarcity of ration and irregularities in the Below Poverty List.
 Speaker Muhammad Akbar Lone had allowed half an hour discussion over the matter after a heated debate in the assembly on Tuesday.
 However, the Peoples Democratic Party members staged a walkout at the end of discussion before the minister could reply.
 Akhoon said the state was getting ration quota as per the figures of BPL families listed in 2001 census, while the government was vigorously pursuing with the Planning Commission to secure release of full BPL ration quota as per the existing population of families falling under this category so that all deserving families get ration at the subsidized rates. Besides, all the District Development Commissioners have been asked to re-verify the BPL lists within shortest possible time, as per the present population, he said. 
 He said Jammu and Kashmir was the only state which provides ration @ 50 kg per ration card to the people. The expenses, for the additional 15 kg, on the central scale of 35 kg is being borne by the government  putting a burden of Rs 104 crore on the exchequer.
 The additional ration is being provided on the same subsidized rates to the beneficiaries, he added.           
 He said that the CAPD was also providing free ration, worth over Rs 70.45 crore, to 1,20,367 drought affected families of the State.
 He said the ration tickets shall henceforth, carry the telephone numbers of the all Assistant Directors and the Director CA&PD of concerned division prominently as part of helpline facility for the rationees /F. P shops/ K.oil dealers to deposit the payment and lift food gains/K. Oil before 10th of the month and ensure that no sale of ration be allowed after 25th of the month.
 Earlier, taking part in the discussion, MLA Kulgam Yousaf Tarigami suggested the minister to ‘trace out the rats’ consuming government ration meant for poor people.
 “I cannot define rats as they have to be identified by the minister but you (minister) should tighten your grip on them (rats),” he added.
 MLA (Banihal) Wakar Rasool alleged that around 2532 poor families in his constituencies have not been issued BPL ration cards.
 Hakim Muhammad Yaseen alleged that the state was not getting adequate supply of union government.
 Expressing concern over the alleged scarcity of ration supply, MLA Shangas Peer Manzoor Hussain said the government had miserably failed to come to the rescue of people living in far flung areas.
 PDP MLA from Bijbehara, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Bandipora MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat and MLA Lolab Abdul Haq Khan also joined the issue.
 Soon after the minister started replying, all the PDP MLAs staged a walkout from the House.
 However, Speaker Muhammad Akbar Lone later intervened and asked the minister not to go by the figure and ensure that the ration supply reaches to the beneficiaries.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 4 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST