Zulfkar for strict implementation of Govt orders

Stresses to expedite completion work of e-PDS

JAMMU, JANUARY 23: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affair (FCS&CA) Choudhary Zulfkar Ali today stressed on need for strict implementation of Government orders, and warned of strict actions against errant officials.
Speaking during a review meeting, the Minister said that holding review meetings should serve a purpose. “The desired results should be achieved after the review meeting, and if the desired results are not achieved the practice of holding review meetings should be stopped,” the Minister said.
The Minister directed on need for strict adherence of instructions issued in the meetings, and said the decisions taken in the review meetings should be implemented in letter and spirit. He added the Government would not hesitate in initiating strict action against disobedient officials for non-compliance of orders.
During the meeting, the Minister also emphasized on need for making collective efforts in improving the functioning in FCS&CA. “Everyone from secretariat to directorate staff needs to work hard, and in coordination to improve the working of department,” he said.
The Minister directed the National Information Centre (NIC) officials to expedite the digitalization work of the department. He said present age is a digital age where everything is done online, adding, switching over to online mechanism for its better functioning is therefore, imperative.
He said work on Digitization of ration cards, Online Allocation and Supply Chain Management, Developing and Starting of Online Grievance portal and Online Ration Card Management System should be completed at an earliest so that the State does not lag behind with rest of the county in its implementation of electronic Public Distribution System (ePDS).
Issuing the instructions to make Fair Price Shops (FPS) cashless, Mr. Zulfkar Ali said that all FPS should make necessary arrangement to ensure that by March 31 their financial transactions are done electronically without involving cash anywhere. He said the move would not only allow the State to comply with the Prime Minister directive of remonetization, but would also increase accountability within the system.
He issued directions to concerned officers to ensure that the data collected for National Food Security Act (NFSA) gets frozen by the end of this month.
Secretary FCS&CA Shafiq Ahmad Raina, Additional Secretary Ramesh Chander, Director FCS&CA Jammu G S Chib, Deputy Secretary, FCS&CA Arun Kotwal, Deputy Director, Planning Iqbal Zargar, Assistant Director, FCS&CA, City Circle Ajay Salaan, Assistant Director, FCS&CA, Trade and Store Ankush Hans, Assistant Director, FCS&CA, Mills Sana Khan, and other concerned officers attended the meeting.