Jammu, Mar 12: The functioning of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) department on Saturday continued to come under severe criticism of MLAs in Legislative Assembly with the legislators accusing department of failing to meet the basic requirements of people.
Main Opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLAs castigated the CAPD minister for making “false” statements and alleged that people had been facing acute shortage of ration with department turning a deaf ear towards their problems.
Protesting the “failure” and “scarcity” of ration in his constituency, the PDP MLA from Lolab constituency Abdul Haq Khan entered the House wearing a black apron with the slogan “We want ration” on it. He raised the issue of the issue of scarcity and denial of ration to the people in his constituency.
As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour, the PDP MLA entered the House and stood up near the well. He remarked, “Our people are starved of ration and they are denied ration. There is scarcity of the ration. What is government doing? I want an answer from the government.”
As the Speaker said that the government would make reply after Question Hour, Haq started raising slogans and trooped into well of the House, where he sat on a dharna.
Intervening, the CAPD Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon said that ration supplies are fully in place in the constituency and ruled out any scarcity or denial to the people.
“The supply of ration in the constituency has already exceeded the ‘excess quota’ and there is no shortage in his area. As far as issuance of new ration cards is concerned, we are not issuing new cards as Census 2011 is already in progress and ration cards will be issued as per the new census report,” the Minister said.
The Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone, however, directed the Minister to get all the information vis-à-vis supply and distribution of ration in Lolab constituency from concerned Deputy Commission and make a statement in the House on Monday.
However, the PDP MLA Abdul Rehman Veeri took on the minister saying “Enough is enough. The minister has made statements 100 times but nothing is visible on ground. The department should take immediate measures to provide ration to the people.”
Haq Khan, however, continued to his dharna and he returned to his seat with a condition that he would raise the issue after the Question Hour.
Soon after the Question Hour, the MLA was again on his feet and said, “Our people are starved and we have not been getting ration for the last three to four months. This is the responsibility of the government to ensure smooth supply of ration in far-off places and we want the ration which was being provided to people as per the previous scale.”
He said that no body likes to wear black apron in this House but he was being forced to do so.
Senior PDP legislator Nizam-ud-Din Bhat suggested for constitution to committee to see the supply and distribution of ration supply.
“I am unsatisfied over the reply. The Government is misleading the House,” Haq remarked.
The Speaker said, “What is the proof? The minister has replied and said ration supplies are going smoothly in your area. You should take your seat.” Annoyed over the reply, Haq staged a walkout from the House.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST