Says ‘land to landless’ scheme to benefit people of UT
Srinagar, July 08: In another major pro-people decision, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Saturday announced 10 kg additional ration at subsidized rates for priority households of Union Territory under Prime Minister’s Food Supplementation Scheme.
This he stated while addressing a press conference at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar. This is the second major pro-people step taken by the Jammu and Kashmir administration in a week. The government recently approved allotment of five marlas of land to each landless poor person under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (G) beneficiaries to build houses in the Union Territory.
Sinha said that under the Prime Minister’s Food Supplementation Scheme for priority households, 14.32 lakh ration card holders and 57,24000 families will be covered in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said priority households in J&K are already getting 5 kg ration free per family. “While under the new scheme, 10 kg additional ration will be provided to each family covered under priority households in the Union Territory. Against the Rs 34 per kg rate of rice, people coming under this scheme for priority households will have to pay only Rs 25 per kg with a subsidy of Rs 9. This will cost Rs 1.80 crore to Jammu and Kashmir government annually,” the LG said.
He said people falling in the category of priority households were already getting a 4 kg ration per person free of cost. “If there are four family members, they will get 16 kg free ration and 10 kg additional rice at the subsidized rates,” he said.
Sinha said some people were trying to mislead people on the issue of land to landless in J&K. “This land will be provided to the people of J&K. As per Tribal Affairs department, 40,000 PMAY houses to be allocated to eligible tribal community families. Government record suggests, out of these, around 8000 are landless. They cannot be deprived merely because some people do not want to see benefits reaching to underprivileged and tribals being empowered. The Bakarwal community will be benefitted by this scheme,” he said.
Asked there were protests in some parts of Srinagar against installation of smart meters, he said there was no alternative to the smart metres. “If people have to get 24×7 electricity, then we have to install smart metres and they have to pay as per the usage. In the past four years, power tariff bills mounted to Rs 31000 Crore.”
In a question there has been a halt in the recruitment process for government jobs, he replied, “Yes the recruitment process has been stopped for the last few months for various reasons. In early exams there were complaints of irregularities after which a CBI probe was initiated. The matter is before the High Court and once the decision comes, exams will be held. For fresh posts, exam dates will be announced within 15 days.” He said efforts are on to make an alternate road ready within three days to facilitate Amarnath pilgrims in view of caving in of a road stretch at Panthal on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
