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SRINAGAR

Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali, the CAPD Minister.
Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali, the CAPD Minister.

With the introduction of new ‘Food Security Act’ in state, hundreds of people came out on roads from various parts of Srinagar to protest against the Act, which they claim is ‘injustice’ to them.

As per the present estimation of  Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department, around 1.19 lakh people will be provided ration at subsidised rates.

“74.30 percent people will be provided ration at Rs 2 and 3 per kg while as rest of 25.7 percent will be given at Rs 8 and 10. There is a lot of confusion that people above the poverty line (APL) will not be provided any ration, which is wrong,” said an official in CAPD.

As per the authentic sources, only those will be excluded from the CAPD list who have:

a) an annual turnover of Rs 25 lakh,

b) who pay a tax of above 30 percent,

c) all state and Union government gazetted officers,

d) all those people who are holding constitutional positions like MLAs, MLCs, Judges,

e) a person who own 80 kanals of land individually

f) if a family jointly owns 250 Kanals of land.

Meanwhile, Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali, the CAPD Minister said that people should not pay heed to people who are trying to create confusion. “State is adopting NFSA on trial basis. It is a central act; and we can amend it anytime before it becomes a bill.”

In addition to that, for better transparency in the state, the CAPD minister is going to inaugurate Srinagar city as first automated city, where all fuel stations will be digitised.

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Vehicular movement came to a grinding halt for hours together after people took to roads in Qamarwari area of Srinagar city protesting against the implementation of Food Security Bill and non-availability of electricity in the area.

Reports said that hundreds of people from Qamarwari and its adjacent areas assembled at Qamarwari chowk and blocked the traffic, thus giving tough time to commuters as well as police and civil administration officials.

Eyewitnesses said that protesters did not allow any vehicle to pass through the road as they placed logs and stones near Qamarwari intersection.

The protesters amid anti-government slogans alleged that instead of mitigating their sufferings, the present government has been adding woes to them.

They said that mere 5kg of ration per member under Food Security Act is not enough for sustenance and this step will force them to purchase ration in black. “We appeal government not to implement this Act in the State as it will affect huge chunk of population here,” the protesters said.

The protesters also accused Power Development Department of being insensitive towards their hardships. “From past one month people of Arampora Qamarwari have been requesting PDD to install the repaired power transformer but nothing has been done in this regard. All but 600 households receive electricity from this transformer and the area has been reeling under darkness while authorities are unmoved,” they said.

The civil and police administration officials who rushed to spot failed to persuade the protesters prompting police to burst tear smoke shells. The heavy shelling created panic in the area.

Meanwhile, protests against Food Security Bill were also reported from Bemina and Kohnakhan Dalgate area.

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