Govt staff protest food security Bill

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, February 5

The Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC-K) today staged a protest against the proposed introduction of the food security Bill in the state.

EJAC (K) president Mushtaq Ahmad Khan claimed that the food security Bill was a negative step for the state as more than 60 per cent people were living above poverty line.

“The food security Bill was passed by the Congress-led UPA at the Centre. Though it is good for states like Bihar or UP because a majority of consumers in these states are below poverty line (BPL), for a state like Jammu and Kashmir, it is extremely negative since around 60 per cent people are above poverty line,” he said.

“If the Bill is introduced in J&K, then people who are above poverty line will have to buy ration from markets as the government won’t issue ration quota for them,” he said.

The protesting employees also raised slogans against the privatisation of power in the state and called the policy decision against the welfare of the people of Kashmir.

“We are poor and if electricity is privatised, the common man will suffer. Kashmir will suffer if this decision is taken. The government must drop this plan,” he said.

Khan also demanded that 17 per cent dearness allowance (DA) for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) employees and also appealed the authorities to release the pending GP fund of employees.