The department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) on Wednesday imposed a penalty of one month’s salary, in terms of rule 30 of J&K CC&A rules, on two retired Tehsil Supply Officers (TSO) who failed to ensure distribution of ration to the registered PHH beneficiaries under NFSA, in tehsil Charar-e-Sharief of Budgam district during their tenure.
In a statement issued, FCS&CA officials said that a complaint was received from an organization called J&K RTI Movement, wherein it was alleged that about 40 households in village Loolipora of tehsil Charar-e-Sharief, District Budgam were not receiving NFSA ration at priority households (PHH) rates inspite of being registered on electronic public distribution system (e-PDS) portal of the department for last three to four years.
A preliminary enquiry was ordered by FCS&CA department during which the contents of the complaint were found true, the statement said.
“It was found out that many villagers in the area were receiving food grains at non-priority house holds (NPHH) rates when they actually were figuring as PHH beneficiaries. As such, the department fixed responsibility on five officials from the level of assistant director up to the local store keeper, including the incumbent and retired TSO. The officers were charged for their complete supervisory failure in ensuring the basic rights being provided under NFSA,” the statement reads.
It further added that the departmental accordingly initiated an action against all by serving charge sheets upon the officials.
“Only the Assistant Director (AD) furnished his reply to the charge sheet. The inquiry is still underway against the AD. The retired officials namely Mukhtar Ahmad Bhat and Mohammad Yousuf Ganaie failed to furnish their replies much beyond the stipulated time limit, in spite of receiving the charge sheets under proper acknowledgement. The competent disciplinary authority as such ordered the proceedings to be made ex-parte against both of them and imposed penalty of one month’s salary that was last drawn by the retired officials while in active service, which shall be recovered in the equal installments from their pension,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Chairman RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat has appreciated the role of Secretary FCS&CA Simrandeep Singh for initiating action against officials.
In a statement issued, Raja demanded “similar action be taken against other serving officials and money swindled from poor consumers be returned to them in Loolipora Chadoora and Tarzoo Sopore.”