Official playing crucial role in implementation of this Act was recently transferred as district supply officer.
In the poll year, the government is focussing on implementing the Food Security Act in the state. However, the recent reshuffling of RAS officers may spoil the government’s plans.
Inder Singh Rao, the official who had till now been playing a crucial role in implementation of Food Security Act, was recently transferred to the post of district supply officer (DSO), Jaipur urban. However, he is yet to join on this post.
And Shruti Bhardwaj, who was till now handling this charge of DSO, has already joined on the new posting.
When dna asked Rao about his joining as DSO, he said, “I am yet to be relieved and presently I am in Delhi for a meeting.”
Among other things, the DSO has to ensure distribution of ration cards to lakhs of residents in Jaipur. Sources said that the transfer of Rao as DSO has shocked many officials in the administration because till now, he was posted as additional commissioner, food and civil supplies, and ex-officio director of consumer affairs department, a post considered much senior than the post of district supply officer. This means that till now he was dealing with all the officials of civil supplies but now he would be just one of the officers at the district level.
Sources said that the posting of Rao as DSO would affect the implementation of Food Security Act. According to sources, Rao had been playing a key role in generating data for implementation of this Act. He had been attending the key meetings on Food Security Act.
With elections round the corner, the post of DSO becomes important for Jaipur as there is very little progress in distribution of ration cards. In June 2012, the government agencies had taken up a project to digitise ration cards and distribute them to BPL (below poverty line) and APL (above poverty line) families.
The exercise was supposed to complete by March 2013.
Implementing FSA a big challenge
To implement Food Security Act, the government has to identify eligible households, build storage capacity at PDS shops and warehouses, set up Food Commission, appoint officials up to district level, open complaint redressal cells in every district, and strengthen a parallel PDS system.
Government needs senior officials to accomplish these tasks.
Lakhs of ration cards pending
In June 2012, the government agencies had taken up a project to digitise ration cards and distribute them to BPL (below poverty line) and APL (above poverty line) families.
The exercise was supposed to complete by March 2013.
The digitised ration cards would have ensured that allottees get all the benefits of government’s welfare schemes.
However, the project is going very slow.
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