Ration shortage worsens in Rajouri 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, April 25
Most politicians are busy with preparations for the Anantnag elections but no attention is being paid to the shortage of ration. The existing problem of food shortage, which has been lingering on for the past two months, in the government-run ration depots, especially rice and flour (atta), has further worsened.
Residents rued that the state government had failed to take up the matter seriously. They said if the supply remained affected like this for a month, poor people would be forced to starve to death.
“Most politicians after the Jammu and Udhampur elections are busy with the Anantnag elections. However, there is no attention being paid to the problem of ration shortage,” Bhagwan Singh Thakur of the Buddhal area said.
A storekeeper of the government-run ration depot in the Koteranka area told The Tribune that there was an acute shortage of rice and flour at the ration depots across this border district.
“Against the requirement of 5 kg rice and 8 kg flour, consumers are getting just 1.80 kg rice and 3.30 kg flour. We acknowledge that it is the poor people who consume this ration but we are helpless and have to supply as per the stocks available with us. It is for the government to increase the supplies,” the storekeeper said.
An officer in the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) said they were facing shortfall of 10,000 quintals for rice and about 20, 000 quintals for wheat flour every month. Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Jaipaul Singh told The Tribune that he had taken up the matter with the authorities concerned for action.