ZT NEWS NETWORK
JAMMU: The Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs on Wednesday imposed a penalty of one month’s salary, in terms of rule 30 of J&K CC&A rules, on two retired Tehsil Supply Officers who failed to ensure distribution of ration to the registered PHH beneficiaries under NFSA, in Tehsil Charar-e-Sharief of Budgam district during their tenure.
Speaking to Ziraat Times, Chairman RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat has appreciated the role of Secretary FCS & CA Simrandeep Singh for initiating action against the officials who according to him “looted the poor consumers.”
Dr Muzaffar demanded that similar action be taken against other serving officials and money swindled from poor consumers be returned to them in Loolipora Chadoora and Tarzoo Sopore.
Pertinently, a complaint was filed by J&K RTI Movement, wherein it was alleged that about 40 households in village Loolipora of Tehsil Charar-e-Sharief, District Budgam were not receiving NFSA Ration at PHH rates inspite of being registered on E-PDS portal of the department for last 3-4 years.
A Preliminary Enquiry (P.E) was ordered by FCS&CA Department that indeed found the contents of the complaint as true. It was found out that many villagers in the area were receiving food grains at NPHH rates when they actually were figuring as PHH beneficiaries. As such, the department fixed responsibility on five officials from the level of Assistant Director up to the local Store Keeper, including the incumbent and retired Tehsil Supply Officers. The Officers were charged for their complete supervisory failure in ensuring the basic rights being provided under NFSA.
Accordingly, departmental action was initiated against all by serving charge sheets upon the officials. Only the Assistant Director furnished his reply to the charge sheet. The inquiry is still underway against the AD.
The retired officials namely Mukhtar Ahmad Bhat and Mohammad Yousuf Ganaie failed to furnish their replies much beyond the stipulated time limit, in spite of receiving the charge sheets under proper acknowledgement. The competent disciplinary authority as such ordered the proceedings to be made ex-parte against both of them and imposed penalty of one month’s salary that was last drawn by the retired officials while in active service, which shall be recovered in the equal installments from their pension.