SRINAGAR: The Government on Monday said it will reimburse the money spent by migrants out of their own pocket for purchase of rations for the months of February, March and April 2016.
“The government will deposit the money into the bank accounts of the migrants which they have spent on purchase of rations for the months of February, March and April this year,” this was announced by the Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari in the Legislative Assembly on Monday while replying to a point raised by MLA, Mian Altaf Ahmad on the issue.
The minister said the government was unable to make available rations for these three months to the migrants because of the modalities being worked out for implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the State. “The earlier practice was that the Relief Organization used to lift the rations for migrants from Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department in advance and the payment for the same was being made to CA&PD Department after the release of funds from the Finance Department,” he said and added, however, due to implementation of NFSA there was some disruption in the supply of rations for migrants and they had to purchase the same from the open market for three months.
The minister also announced that the water supply scheme at Jagti Migrant Camp will be restored and augmented to cater to the whole population. He said while the immediate restoration works will be taken up by the PHE Department, which has been agreed by the concerned minister and the administrative secretary, the augmentation of the scheme will be taken up under NABARD funding.