Bhat Yasir
Days after it assumed power, the Omar Abdullah-led state government has started pushing for the enhancement of ration supplies in Kashmir and Jammu.
Officials confirmed that the Jammu Kashmir government is considering an increase in ration supplies for its residents, with the issue likely to be taken up in the upcoming cabinet meeting.
Jammu Kashmir has witnessed numerous protests, primarily in Kashmir, against the reduction of government ration supplies, causing immense hardships for the people. The ration allocation system in Kashmir has undergone significant changes over the past few years, impacting residents’ access to essential supplies.
Initially, the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme aimed to provide additional food grains to the population but was renamed and eventually shut down in September 2022, reducing the total food grain allocation to 455,000 quintals. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided additional rations per person in Kashmir alongside the existing National Food Security Act (NFSA) allocation. However, in December 2022, the government withdrew PMGKAY, leading to a further decline in food grain distribution. By January 2023, the allocation had dropped to 283,051 quintals, as per government data.
The Kashmiriyat has reported exclusively on the issue several times. Under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), the rice allocation for January 2023 was 30,457.95 quintals, down from 50,595.74 quintals in November 2020. Similarly, wheat distribution under AAY decreased from 1,488.11 quintals in November 2020 to 1,321.60 quintals in January 2023. In the Non-Priority Household (NPHH) category, rice allocation dropped from 109,239.08 quintals in November 2020 to 70,701.04 quintals in January 2023.
In an attempt to mitigate the impact of PMGKAY’s closure, the Indian government announced in December 2022 that rations under the NFSA would be provided free of charge for one year, starting from January 1, 2023. However, in Kashmir, where rice is the staple food, residents expressed heightened concern about the reduced quantity of rations, which overshadowed the government’s efforts to provide relief.
Residents have taken to the streets several times, seeking an increase in the current ration allotment from 5 kilograms per person per month, which they say is insufficient. Following protests, the LG-led administration announced a marginal increase, but the additional rice costs more than it would in markets.
Though the issue did not dominate public discourse as it should have, due to the monopoly of the elite over the conversation in Kashmir, government ration store owners have noted that they have never seen a situation as drastic as during the last two years.
A fair price shop owner based in the hilly terrains of North Kashmir told The Kashmiriyat on the condition of anonymity, “The suffering due to the decrease in ration quantity has affected poor people, especially those from the Below Poverty Level (BPL) category, the most. People in these terrains, where roads are closed for almost four months and there is no electricity access during harsh winters, had only hope from the government in the form of rations, whether it be atta, sugar, or rice. But since the curtailment, people have become disheartened with the government.”
However, the situation is not confined to rural areas; urban areas are suffering even worse due to their dependency solely on government-allocated supplies.
Shortly after the last census, an Economic Survey Report of 2013-14 was released by the Jammu Kashmir government in both houses of the state legislature, revealing that there are 24.21 lakh people living below the poverty line (BPL) in the region, with 22 lakh residing in rural areas and 2.21 lakh in urban areas.
“Since the closure of the Jammu and Kashmir Food Entitlement Scheme, formerly known as the Mufti Mohammad Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES), and the merger of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) with the National Food Security Act (NFSA), people who heavily relied on government-allocated rations have suffered significantly. The monthly allocation per person has been reduced from 15 kilograms to 5 kilograms,” an official of the department said.
He added that many issues have not made it to the media, but locals have locked up the stores in Srinagar because they did not receive enough rice to eat. “It was a horrible situation, and this is one of the most historical and impactful decisions that the government has made in the recent past,” the official said.
“Public approaches us with the expectation that we can fulfill their demand, but it’s all up to the government and how they manage things. We don’t have anything in our hands, as we are supposed to distribute only what we receive from the government,” another fair price shop dealer noted.
The fair price shop owner from North Kashmir reiterated, “The suffering due to the decrease in ration quantity has affected poor people, especially those from the Below Poverty Level (BPL) category, the most. People in these terrains, where roads are closed for almost four months and there is no electricity access during harsh winters, had only hope from the government in the form of rations, whether it be atta, sugar, or rice. But since the curtailment, people have become disheartened with the government.”
He further stated, “People from far-off places have high expectations from the new Omar Abdullah-led government, as most of them voted on basic issues like roads, electricity, water, and, most importantly, an increase in ration quantity. People expect this government to address these needs, as the poor and downtrodden care more about rice, water, roads, and electricity rather than remaining stuck to the top-most layer of the abrogation happening.”
Satish Sharma, the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CS), stated that the government is serious about the current ration shortage and is committed to improving distribution.
“The government would review the situation within the department and consult officers in Jammu Kashmir before proposing an enhancement to the Centre,” said the official.
The ration supply reduction had caused a massive burden to the locals. “A huge party of our earnings went into buying the ration from private stores at higher rates. People hardly have any ration. In the years of 2008, ’10 and 2016, people survived in curfew for several months, we had stocks. But if God forbid anything happens today, Kashmiris cannot survive for more than a month,” said Gulzar, who voted for Omar Abdullah in anticipation of the government increasing the rice allotment.
He said that this could be the most momentous decision and would bring joys across the Kashmir and Jammu regions as the dwindled supplies have triggered panic among the residents.
“While those receiving free ration feel some relief, the quantity remains insufficient. NPHH cardholders also express concerns about the limited monthly supply,” Zainab a local resident from Shopian told The Kashmiriyat.
Zainab stated that increasing the ration per individual or family would greatly benefit the people of Jammu Kashmir. “It is a momentous decision,” she concluded.