Chief Secretary Calls for Strengthening Food Security and Enhancing Transparency
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo yesterday chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) and Legal Metrology Departments. Commissioner Secretary Saurabh Bhagat presented an overview of the departments’ functioning, key achievements, and upcoming initiatives. Also present were the Directors of FCS&CA Kashmir and Jammu, the Controller of Legal Metrology, and other senior officials.
The Chief Secretary appreciated the department’s efforts in digitization, Aadhaar integration, and ensuring transparency in food distribution. He emphasized the need to remove undeserving beneficiaries, strengthen consumer protection mechanisms, and ensure timely completion of deliverables to improve service efficiency.
Officials highlighted that the National Food Security Act (NFSA) currently benefits over 102.54 lakh individuals across 25.61 lakh families in J&K. Monthly distributions include:
- 3.70 lakh quintals under NFSA
- 1.59 lakh quintals under non-NFSA
- 1.24 lakh quintals under PMGKAY
- 0.20 lakh quintals under State Ayushman Ann Yojana (SAAY)
J&K has achieved 100% Aadhaar seeding of ration cards and beneficiaries, with 96.55% authenticated transactions, ensuring transparency in public distribution. The network comprises 6,611 fair price shops (FPS), with 6,362 operating online via e-PoS devices.
Key details of NFSA implementation include:
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): 2.21 lakh families (8.76 lakh beneficiaries), receiving 35 kg of food grains per card per month free of cost.
- Priority Households (PHH): 14.39 lakh families (58.63 lakh beneficiaries), receiving 5 kg per person per month.
- Non-Priority Households (NPHH): 8.11 lakh families (31.80 lakh beneficiaries), receiving subsidized food grains.
- Exclusion category: 0.89 lakh families (3.34 lakh beneficiaries) not entitled under NFSA/Non-NFSA.
The Commissioner Secretary outlined technology-driven reforms under SMART-PDS, including:
- 100% FPS automation using e-PoS devices
- Digitization of beneficiary databases with Aadhaar-based biometric authentication
- Migration to the new RCMS portal with integration of migrant ration cards underway
For grievance redressal, multiple channels are in place, including the JK-Grams portal, toll-free numbers, and WhatsApp. Enforcement of strict penal provisions to curb misappropriation, black-marketing, and diversion of food grains has also been implemented successfully, with fines up to Rs. 8,000/quintal for wheat/rice and Rs. 120/kg for sugar, including penalties for supervisory officers in case of non-reporting.
Future deliverables have been set with clear timelines:
- 100% e-KYC saturation by December 2025
- Full integration of migrant ration cards by November 2025
- Reorganization of FCS&CA and Legal Metrology Departments by December 2025
- CUF facility at Bajalta (1.13 lakh KL capacity) and land acquisition for 49,000 KL storage at Srinagar
- Upgradation of PoS machines from L0 to L1 by March 2026
Regarding the Legal Metrology Department, its mandate includes inspection and verification of weights and measures (weighbridges, tank lorries, storage tanks, petrol dispensing nozzles), regulation of packaged and imported commodities, e-commerce inspections, LPG and petroleum product regulation, consumer complaint redressal, awareness campaigns, and trader handholding under BRAP/EQDB.
Achievements of the department include:
- 20,455 inspections of shops and establishments
- 242 awareness camps conducted
- 100 consumer complaints received
- 1,256 challans booked with Rs. 182.51 lakh revenue realized
