Kullu: Failing to meet its objective, the national food security scheme still has a long way to go to serve its purpose as there are still 29086 needy families in Kullu valley who are deprived of the scheme because of official lethargy in the selection process to identify beneficiaries.
The scheme was introduced in the state in September 2013 but many needy families still are struggling to get registered as beneficiaries due to apathy of the concerned Panchayats.
Official records maintain that there are 200,982 families in rural areas and 4858 in urban areas of Kullu valley who were to be provided subsidized food rations under the scheme from government depots but hundreds of these poor and needy families despite their best efforts have failed to avail of it.
When questioned about the issue deputy commissioner of Kullu, Rakesh Kanwar let Hill Post know, “all Panchayat and urban committees in the district have been ordered to identify the real beneficiaries of the scheme so that no needy family could be deprived of this benefit.”
Passing the buck Jeet Ram, the district food supply controller who oversees the distributions of the subsidized food rations said, “the problem is the sluggish selection process by Panchayats to identify and list the candidates who are to benefit from the scheme. This is the main reason that many needy families are still not registered till.”
Subsidized rations are being made available each month at the 430 government depots in the district and thousands of poor families are taking advantage of the scheme. Besides under this National Food Security Scheme vigilance committees at state, subdivision and Panchayat levels have been formed to inspect whether the ration are being distributed to the beneficiaries in time or not,” said Jeet Ram.
A theater artist, a script writer and a TV anchor, news is something that grips Renuka. She lives in Kullu.
