Jammu and Kashmir is facing the acute shortage of food grains as the Centre has not responded to the request of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, to increase the monthly ration quota to the state.

With no response from Centre over the demand projected by the State Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, that the ration quota be increased for the state, the state is reeling under an acute shortage of food grains. CM Abdullah had taken up the matter of the enhancement in ration quota to the state with Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, in his recent visit to New Delhi on July 7.

According to officials the shortage in food grains was due to the fact that the Central government was not releasing the quota of the food grains to the state in accordance with the demand which has been projected by it.

Officials said that while the Centre has fixed 35 Kg as the quota of ration for each family, state was releasing 13 Kg of foodgrains for each member of a family due to which there has been a shortfall in the availability of food grains in the state. Moreover, officials said that the shortage in ration was also due to the fact that the Central government was releasing the monthly quota on the basis of 2001 census while as the population of the state has increased since then.

State government was projecting to the Centre that ration be provided to the state as per the latest population.

A spokesman of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) admitted that the state was facing shortage of food grains. Spokesman said that the Jammu and Kashmir government has taken up with the Centre that the food grains be allocated on the basis of 13 kg per member of a family, but added that the matter was under the consideration of Central government.

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