LEH: District Congress Committee (DCC) Leh slammed PDP-BJP Coalition Government and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh for hiking in food grain rates under National Food Security Act (NFSA) from 1st October 2016 without any increase in the scale of rations.
Rate for rice has been increased from Rs 3 to 15 per kg and Atta from Rs 2 to 13 per kg under NFSA and the same is applicable to the additional quota of food grains under Mufti Mohd Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme which is unaffordable to the common people particularly living in terrains like Ladakh said DCC Leh President, Tsering Samphel while talking to reporters here on Wednesday.
“It is disgusting that implementation of NFSA in the State has inflicted a severe blow to the very livelihood of the people who used to get higher scale of food grains at far cheaper rates before the coming of the NFSA in the State,” Samphel alleged, adding that the assurance of ‘Acche Din’ as given by Narendra Modi during 2014 Lok Sabha election turned out to be ‘Buray Din’ particularly for Ladakhi public.
Citing examples of how neighbouring State of Himachal Pradesh is providing special food grains, varieties of pulses (dals) and refined oil etc in addition to the ones under NFSA at cheaper rates in Lahoul and Spiti, Samphel said that there could have been a special sympathetic consideration in respect of Ladakh region also owing to its harsh topographical conditions, strategic importance and 99 per cent tribal population, had the BJP LAHDC moved a proposal to the Central and State Governments where BJP is at the helms of affairs.
“Similarly rates of LPG cylinders have also been doubled and the so-called subsidy transfer in accounts is a farce,” DCC President criticised.
Former Chairman LAHDC, Rigzin Spalbar accused LAHDC and State Government for failing to meet the expectations of the public at large.