JAMMU: Senior BJP leader and MLA Ch. Vikram Randhawa called on Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Nimuben Bambhaniya, in New Delhi and raised serious concerns over the anti-people approach of the National Conference-led government in Jammu and Kashmir regarding the bifurcation of ration cards and the functioning of the Public Distribution System (PDS).
During the meeting, Randhawa highlighted that despite the passage of several years, thousands of families in Jammu and Kashmir continue to suffer because the UT administration has failed to permit the bifurcation of ration cards. He pointed out that many households which were once single-family units have now expanded into multiple independent families, yet they are still forced to remain under a single ration card, causing immense hardship in availing food security benefits.
Randhawa informed the Union Minister that the J&K administration routinely cites alleged restrictions imposed by the Government of India as the reason for refusing the bifurcation of ration cards. However, the Union Minister clarified that no such order or directive has ever been issued by the Government of India prohibiting the division of ration cards.
Terming this revelation as an exposure of the “anti-people and misleading policies” of the Omar Abdullah-led government, Randhawa said the National Conference administration has chosen to shift blame onto the Centre instead of addressing genuine public grievances. He said that people had expected a responsive and accountable government after the formation of the elected administration, but the NC government has failed to live up to those expectations even on issues directly affecting the daily lives of common citizens.
Randhawa also brought to the Minister’s notice serious irregularities in the operation of fair price shops across the Union Territory. He stated that several ration depots are presently catering to nearly 800 to 1,000 families, whereas the prescribed norm permits only around 250 families under a single licence. He asserted that the J&K Government has the authority to issue additional depot licences to streamline ration distribution and improve accessibility, but has deliberately failed to do so, resulting in inconvenience and delays for beneficiaries.
Urging immediate intervention, Randhawa requested Union Minister Nimuben Bambhaniya to visit Jammu and Kashmir along with senior departmental officials to assess the ground realities and interact directly with beneficiaries. Responding positively, the Minister assured him that she would endeavour to visit the Union Territory around September to review the implementation of the Public Distribution System and examine the issues raised.
