Gearing up for winter, J&K govt begins to stock foodgrains

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has started stocking foodgrains in remote areas of the Valley and Ladakh region, which remain cut off for most part of the winter.

The stocking of food grains for winter months for the inaccessible areas of Kashmir Division, which includes Ladakh region, has taken off and is going on smoothly, minister for consumer affairs and public distribution Qamar Ali Akhoon was told by officials of his department during a review meeting here yesterday.

"So far, 4,969 tonnes of rice, 1,658 tonnes of flour, 500 tonnes of sugar and 168 kilolitres of kerosene have been dispatched to the remote and border areas of Kupwara district and Gurez sector of Bandipora district for winter stocking," an official spokesman said.

Similarly, 9,493 tonnes of rice, 924 tonnes of sugar and 8,378 tonnes of flour and wheat have been dispatched for stocking in the twin districts of Ladakh region, he said.

Gurez, Tangdhar, Macchil in Kashmir Valley and Leh and Kargil districts in Ladakh region of the state remain cut off from the rest of the state for nearly six months due to heavy snowfall every winter, which blocks roads along the natural passes to these areas.

Notwithstanding the situation of unrest in the Valley, the minister was informed that the public distribution system had provided 74,200 tonnes of food grain to consumers in the state in the current month so far.

"Of this 35,000 tonnes were provided to the consumers of Kashmir Division while 39,200 tonnes to those of Jammu division," the spokesman said.

Akhoon asked officials of the department to gear up the field staff to make sufficient availability of essentials.

While directing the officials to maintain present ration scales for the month of October also, the minister asked for strict compliance to the rates of essential commodities fixed by the government, besides displaying of rate lists at sale outlets.